Studying in Germany: A Practical Guide For International Students 7th Edition

Studying in Germany
A Practical Guide for

International Students
7th Edition
The Most Important Questions at a Glance
9 Timeline
What do I have to do and when?
16 Degree programmes
How do I find a suitable degree programme?
22 German skills
How much German do I have to know?
15 English-language degree programmes

Where can I study in English?
30 Applications
How do I apply for admission?
28 Scholarships
What funding opportunities are available?
25 Living expenses
How much does rent, food etc. cost?
68 Part-time jobs
How can I earn money during my studies?
26 Health insurance
How do I get health insurance?
36 Visa
When do I need a visa?
40 Accommodation
How do I find a room or flat?
42 Checklist
What do I have to take care of and when?
Studying in Germany
A Practical Guide for
International Students
7th Edition
Publisher DAAD
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
German Academic Exchange Service
Kennedyallee 50, 53175 Bonn
www.daad.de
Section Information on Studying in Germany
Project Coordination Esther Kirk, Julia Enke
Publishing House Dr. Dagmar Giersberg, Bonn
Translation Robert Brambeer, Titisee-Neustadt
Layout and Typesetting DITHO Design GmbH, Cologne
Printed by W. Kohlhammer Druckerei GmbH + Co. KG, Stuttgart
Print run July 2019 – 25,000
© DAAD
Photo Credits Thomas Bergmann (Cover), Norbert Hüttermann (p. 7, 67), Christian Lord Otto
(p. 34), Peter Himsel/David Ausserhofer (p. 39), Ikhlas Abbis (pp. 46, 50, 74),
Doerthe Hagenguth (p. 59), other pictures: private.
This brochure is also available in German.
This publication was funded by the Federal Foreign Office.

Studying in Germany 3
Contents
Studying in Germany? A Good Idea! 6
1. Preparation 8
1.1 Degree programmes and universities 10

Types of universities | Public or private? | Programmes and degrees |
International degree programmes | Information and advice |
Map: Universities in Germany
1.2 Admission requirements 19

Higher education entrance qualification | Qualification assessment
examination | Demands | German language proficiency
1.3 Financing 24
Costs | Proof of financial resources | Funding opportunities
1.4 Applying for admission 30

Subjects with centrally restricted admission | All other subjects |
Application fees | Documents | Deadlines
4 Studying in Germany
1.5 Entry visas and residence permits 36

Visa requirements | Types of visas | Application
1.6 Looking for accommodation 40

Student hall of residence | Private accommodation | The first nights
1.7 Checklist 42
2. The first steps in Germany 44
2.1 Student advisory services 45

International Office | Support services | Student organisations |
International student groups | Departmental student representatives
2.2 Finding accommodation 51

Assistance | Apartment listings
2.3 Enrolment 52
2.4 Registering with the authorities 53

Residents‘ Registration Office | Residence permit
2.5 Scheduling and organisation 55

Courses | Programme structure | Examinations | Timetable
A Practical Guide for International Students 5
3. Tips for a successful stay 60
3.1 Making contacts 61
3.2 Learning German 64
3.3 Gaining work experience 68

Part-time jobs | Restrictions | Internships | Payment
3.4 Career opportunities after graduation 72

Legal requirements | Job search | German skills
Good luck! 76
Appendix 77
Facts and figures – International students in Germany 78
About the DAAD – Goals, tasks, programmes 80
Addresses and related links 82
Index 84
Studying in Germany?
A Good Idea!
So, you’re interested in studying in Germany?

That’s fantastic! We’re happy to hear that!
Studying abroad – especially in a country any additional information, feel free to

very different from your own – is an contact the DAAD staff in your country and
exciting challenge. You will be influenced they will be happy to assist you. Or simply
by the surge of new impressions and post your questions on
points of view you encounter here. Study- www.facebook.com/Study.in.Germany.
ing in Germany – in the heart of Europe –
will certainly have a long-lasting impact We wish you success and a wonderful,
on your life. unforgettable stay in Germany!
There are diverse opportunities in Germany

for learning and researching. German Who are we?
universities have an outstanding reputa-
The German Academic Exchange
tion throughout the world. Each year
Service (DAAD) is a joint organisation
they produce significant, internationally of German institutions of higher
recognised advances and innovations. education and student bodies. Our
Here you will find ideal conditions for task is to support academic coopera-
gaining a successful university education. tion around the world, especially by
By the way, you are one of many talented, promoting the exchange of students
young individuals who wish to study in and academics.
You can find more information about
Germany. There are almost 360,000 young
studying and living in Germany in our
people from around the world studying and info brochures and on our websites
researching at German universities. www.daad.de and www.study-in.de.
At present, they comprise 12.9 percent
of all students in Germany. In fact, there
are very few countries that can boast a
higher percentage of international students.
And you are not alone as you travel to
Germany. This brochure will help you
prepare for your studies here. If you need
7
1.
Preparation
This chapter tells you how to

plan a successful study visit
and what you should take care
of before you leave home.
Studying abroad is like turning over a new

leaf in an unknown world. There are many
things to consider, plan and organise. The
following timeline will give you an over-
view of each step you will take on your way
to Germany.
On the following pages you will find

detailed information about each step on
the timeline.
Using the checklist at the end of this

chapter, you can make sure that you have
completed all of the important steps and
obtained all the necessary documents for
your trip to Germany (see pp. 42–43).
Preparation 9
! Timeline
About 15 months before your planned trip to Germany

■ S tart gathering information about study opportunities
in Germany either online or from a DAAD office
(see pp. 10–18).
■ Find out whether you fulfil the requirements for
studying in Germany (see pp. 19–23).
– Is your school-leaving certificate sufficient?
– Will you have to take a language test?
■ Determine how you will finance your study visit in
Germany and whether you are eligible for a scholarship
(see pp. 24–29).
About nine months before your trip

■ D ecide on a degree programme and university
(see pp. 10–18).
■ Contact the International Office at the university of
your choice (see p. 16).
About four to five months before your studies begin

■ P repare and submit your application of admission
(see pp. 30–35). Note the submission deadlines!
■ Would you like to live in a student hall of residence?
Then apply for a room now (see p. 40).
When you receive your notification of acceptance

■ D o you need a visa? If so, then apply for one now
(see pp. 36–38).
■ Do you have a health insurance policy which is recognised
in Germany? Then request a statement confirming your
coverage from your provider now. For more information
on health insurance, see p. 26.
About one month before your trip

■ M ake sure you have collected all the necessary
documents (see p. 43).
■ Plan where you will spend your first nights in Germany
(see p. 41).
Your trip to Germany!

1.1
Degree programmes and universities
This section provides you with an overview of the
German university system and the degree programmes
you can choose from.
The more choices you have, the harder What kind of colleges and
it is to choose. This especially applies universities are there?
to your situation, as there are so many
opportunities to study in Germany. Deciding on a college or university is
somewhat easier as there are only three
There are 430 officially recognised institu- types to choose from in Germany:
tions of higher education in around
170 towns and cities throughout Germany. ■ Universities
The map on page 18 shows the location of ■ Universities of applied sciences
these institutions. In total, German uni- ■ Colleges of art, film and music
versities and colleges offer around 20,000
degree programmes. And from all of these, Studying at a university is a good idea if
you will have to choose one. We’ve put you are interested in a scientifically-oriented
together some information to help with education. Universities offer a broad range
your decision. of courses and subjects. Some schools
specialise in certain disciplines, such as
advanced technology, medicine and edu
cation. If you would like to enter a doctoral
The academic year in Germany
The academic year is divided into Semester schedule at most universities:

two semesters at German universities
– winter and summer semester. Universities
Winter semester: October to March
A semester is comprised of the lecture Summer semester: April to September
period, during which students attend
seminars and lectures, and the lecture- Universities of applied sciences
free period when the university is closed Winter semester: September to February
for holidays. The semester schedule Summer semester: March to August
varies depending on the type of univer-
Important: Some degree programmes
sity you attend. Therefore, enquire about
only begin in the winter semester
the exact dates at the university of your
choice.
Degree programmes and universities 11
A perfect match!
I was thrilled when I stumbled across a
degree programme in cognitive science while
looking for computer science programmes
online. This bachelor‘s degree programme,
offered in Osnabrück and Tübingen, offers a
combination of computer science, psychology
and biology. It was perfect for me!
What I especially like is that they give you
a lot of freedom to design your programme
according to your interests. And the students
are very, very motivated.
Alona Sakhnenko comes from Ukraine where she

studied applied mathematics. She is now complet-
ing bachelor‘s programmes in cognitive science and
computer science at the University of Osnabrück.
programme in Germany, then a university technicians and producers for film and
is the perfect place for you. television. Potential candidates must pos-
sess a high degree of artistic talent which
Universities of applied sciences are ideal they are asked to demonstrate in an apti-
if you are looking for a more practice- tude test. Therefore, you can expect spe-
oriented education. These institutions pro- cial admission requirements if you wish
vide students with a scientifically based to apply to a college of art, film or music.
education, tailored to the demands of
professional life. The degree programmes
generally include internships (see p. 71) and Facts and figures
a practical module. This enables students to
apply their knowledge on the job at compa- A total of more than 2.9 million
students were enrolled around 430
nies and businesses.
officially recognised universities
and colleges in the winter semester
If you wish to study an artistic or design 2018/2019.
oriented subject, you may be the perfect
■ 1 ,778,737 students at
candidate for a college of art, film or music.
128 universities,
There you will find courses in the Fine ■ 1,003,402 students at 218 uni-
Arts, Industrial and Fashion Design, versities of applied sciences
Graphic Arts, Instrumental Music, Per ■ 36.834 students at 53 colleges
forming Arts, Voice, etc. Colleges of of art, film and music
modern media train students to become Source: Federal Statistical Office
directors, camera operators, screenwriters,
What is the difference What kind of degree programmes

between public and private are there?
universities?
Each course prepares you for a particular
Most universities and colleges in Ger- university degree. When you choose a
many are public, i. e. they receive funding degree programme, you’re not only
from the federal government. Some are choosing a subject, but also the degree
also financed by the Protestant or Catholic you wish to ultimately attain.
Church. In addition to these subsidised
institutions, there are 120 private German universities offer a wide range
universities and colleges which of degree programmes to suit your needs
confer officially recognised degrees. The and educational level.
majority of these are universities of
applied sciences. ■ You can attend university in Germany
as a beginner (undergraduate studies).
Most students in Germany are enrolled ■ You can gain international experience
at public universities. Only 7.4 percent of at a German university for a couple of
all students attend a private institution, semesters to supplement your degree
the reason being that private colleges often programme at home.
charge high tuition fees while public ■ You can enter a postgraduate programme
universities generally do not (see p. 27). in Germany, if you have already
The quality of instruction at both types of completed your undergraduate studies.
universities, however, is comparably high. ■ You can study as a doctoral candidate.
Degrees conferred by
Did you know … German universities
University education in Germany is You can attain the following degrees at

not centrally coordinated. Each of
German universities:
the 16 states (see p. 18) has its own
higher education laws and guidelines.
German universities are largely self Bachelor’s degree (B.A., B.Sc., Bachelor
regulatory, which means that not of Engineering, etc.): This is the first-
all rules apply to every university. level academic degree recognised on the
Therefore, always enquire about international job market. Bachelor’s
the particular regulations at the uni degree programmes teach students the
versity of your choice.
fundamentals of their subject of study in
six to eight semesters. Once you have
received your bachelor’s degree, you can
enter professional life or continue studying
for the second-level academic qualification
– the master’s degree.
Master’s degree (M.A., M.Sc., Master of Doctoral degree: A doctoral programme,

Engineering, etc.): This is the second-level which involves the completion of a
academic qualification you can receive research paper (dissertation), concludes
from a German university. If you wish to with the conferral of a doctoral degree.
enter a master’s degree programme, you The duration of doctoral programmes
are required to have a bachelor’s degree depends on the candidate’s particular area
(or equivalent academic qualification). of research. However, most programmes
Master’s degree programmes last two to generally take two to five years to complete
four semesters and allow you to deepen (see p. 14).
and expand your knowledge in a certain
subject. After you receive your master’s In recent decades the academic programmes
degree, you can enter professional life or at German universities have undergone
continue studying for the next academic major reform as mandated by the Bologna
qualification – the doctoral degree. Process. Meanwhile, the bachelor’s
and master’s degree programmes have
State examination (Staatsexamen): The all but replaced the traditional German
state examination is not an academic Diplom and Magister Artium programmes
degree, but rather a state qualification. at most universities.
This means that the examination regula-
tions are stipulated by the German states, As you look into more universities and
not by the university. Another difference their programmes, you may still encounter
is that the examinations are administered these types of degrees. A Diplom is gener-
by state invigilators. Those who wish to ally conferred to students who study the
work as a medical doctor, lawyer, pharma- Natural Sciences, Engineering, Economics
cist or teacher in Germany have to pass a and Social Sciences, while students in
state examination. Students are permitted the humanities are awarded the Magister
to take the first state examination after Artium (M.A.) degree. Both degrees are
successfully completing their studies in comparable to a master’s degree.
Medicine, Law, Pharmaceutics or Teacher
Education. Afterwards, they can begin a
professionally oriented, practical training
phase to prepare themselves for the second
state examination and/ or enter a doctoral
programme. Passing the state examination,
however, does not guarantee the candidate
a job. If you wish to attain this qualifica-
tion, you should enquire whether the
German state examination is recognised
in your home country.
Doctoral degrees
There are many opportunities for you Some states in Germany have es-
to attain a doctorate from a German tablished English-language graduate
university. schools which, in contrast to research
Basically, you can take two routes – training groups, are permanently estab-
either research independently and lished at their respective universities.
write a dissertation under professorial This is where young, highly qualified
supervision, or enter a doctoral pro- researchers can receive intensive and
gramme that provides a fixed structure. individual advising.
Option 1: You first have to find a univer- There are also a wide range of interna-
sity professor (Doktorvater or Doktor
tional doctoral programmes (see p. 15).
mutter) to supervise your dissertation.
For more information about these
Since instructors are not obliged to
international structured doctoral pro-
take on every candidate, your research
idea must be compelling. Find out in grammes, visit www.daad.de/interna-
advance which university and professor tional-programmes.
would be best suited for your research
project. For more information, visit Please note: The information in this
the HRK website www.higher-educa- brochure – especially pertaining to the
tion-compass.de and the information admission requirements and the struc-
portal GERiT (German Research Institu- ture of the academic programmes –
tions) at www.gerit.org. primarily applies to the bachelor’s and
master’s degree programmes. If you
Option 2: You can enter a structured are interested in entering a doctoral
doctoral degree programme in Germany. programme, you can find more relevant
The most significant of these include: information at www.research-in-
■ Research training groups germany.de/phd. Our “PhDGermany”
■ Graduate schools database (www.phdgermany.de) con-
■ International doctoral programmes tains an extensive collection of doctoral
positions especially suited to interna-
Research training groups are university
tional candidates. Once you have found
programmes that promote young
a position that interests you, you can
scientists and researchers. These train-
apply directly via the DAAD portal by
ing groups allow doctoral candidates to
clicking the link provided in the job offer.
embed their dissertation in a compre
hensive research programme. Such
programmes are generally interdisci
plinary and are supervised by several
scientists. Visit the webpage of the
German Research Foundation (DFG)
for a list of the research training
groups which it is currently funding:
www.dfg.de/gk.
International degree
! programmes
Double degree programmes have an
international or bilateral orientation. They
are usually offered by a German university
German universities currently offer around in cooperation with one or more partner
1,530 internationally-oriented degree pro- universities abroad. Students who partici-
grammes. These well-structured, high- pate in such degree programmes usually
level “International Bachelor, Master study at the partner university for several
and Doctoral Programmes” feature inten- semesters. Students receive full credit for
sive student counselling and academic completing pre-approved courses from
advising. Most courses are taught in Eng- their university at home. Some of these
lish, though German language courses degree programmes require students to
often supplement the programmes. spend approximately half their time at
the partner university. When completed,
More information? students receive a double degree – one
www.daad.de/international-programmes from each university.
There are also a number of programmes

Online degrees especially tailored to the needs of inter
national doctoral candidates. The most
You don’t have to live in Germany prominent of these include the Graduate
to benefit from the degree pro-
Schools in the Excellence Initiative and
grammes at German universities.
Both public and private universities the International Max Planck Research
offer free and tuition-based online Schools (IMPRS). They offer especially
and distance-learning programmes talented German and international gradu-
in numerous subjects. You can ates the opportunity to pursue their doctor-
find these bachelor’s and master’s ate at some of the most excellent scientific
programmes at www.hochschulkom- centres in Germany. In addition to intensive
pass.de (under the menu tab “Dis- expert advising, most of these programmes
tance learning”) and internationally feature English-language courses and, in
oriented programmes at www.daad. many cases, special funding opportunities.
de/international-programmes (under
the menu tab “Study online“).
More information?
www.mpg.de/de/imprs
What is the right degree Where can I get academic advice?

! programme for me?
Get as much advice as you can! There are
Now you have a general idea of the oppor- also academic consulting and advising
tunities offered by German universities. It’s services in your home country to help you
up to you to find out which degree pro- plan your study visit in Germany. If you
gramme best suits your needs. need advice, please contact the following
people or agencies:
As you look for a suitable degree pro-
gramme, we recommend using the search ■ The DAAD-Information Centres (ICs)
engine on www.study-in.de. It offers ex- and the DAAD branch offices (see p. 82)
tensive information about all programmes ■ DAAD-affiliated instructors and
currently offered at state-recognised lecturers at foreign universities
universities in Germany. You will also find ■ Goethe-Institut or Goethe-Zentrum
important information provided by the ■ T he German diplomatic missions –
HRK database on admission requirements, i. e. embassies and consulates
application deadlines and contactaddresses.
We also recommend visiting www.univer-

sityranking.de. This site ranks the degree
Self-assessment tests
programmes at 380 German universities in
If you’re having a hard time deciding
37 popular subjects. on a major, you might want to take
the “Study Interest Test”, or SIT, for
For more on international bachelor’s, short. The test is free and only takes
master’s and doctoral degree programmes, 15 minutes (www.hochschulkompass.
see www.daad.de/international- de/studium-interessentest.html). For
programmes. more links to other self-tests, visit
www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/selb-
If you need further assistance with choos- sttests.php and
ing a programme, you can find extensive www.hochschulkompass.de/en/de-
information on the DAAD website and at gree-programmes/choosing-
www.studienwahl.de. a-programme/higher-education-
orientation-tests.html
If you’re interested in technical sub-
jects, the consultation service “Self
Assessment international” is right for
you. Visit the service at
www.self-assessment.tu9.de.
If you’d like to find out whether you
can meet the demands at German
universities, the TestAS will help as-
sess your ability (see p. 21).
You’re the focus ...

in everything we do! At the University of
Bremen you can design the programmes for
international students. We at the Inter-
national Office welcome your ideas and
involvement. We are happy to help you
integrate your strengths in developing a
multifaceted programme for international
students. In addition to orientation events
at the beginning of the semester, we also
provide concrete academic assistance, such
as thesis-writing workshops and a learning
tandem programme. We also invite students
from around the world to get together and
participate in recreational activities. Per-
haps you have some other ideas about how
we can network the numerous cultures on
our campus!
Dr. Annette Lang is the director of the Internation-
al Office at the University of Bremen.
Your most important contact in Germany And, of course, our staff at the DAAD
is the International Office (Akademisches head office in Bonn are happy to answer
Auslandsamt) at the university of your your questions regarding your study visit
choice (for a list of addresses, visit in Germany (for contact info, see p. 82).
www.daad.de/aaa). The International You can also post your questions on
Office provides information about study www.facebook.com/Study.in.Germany.
opportunities in specific disciplines and Remember, you are not alone. We’re here
degree programmes, admission require- to help you!
ments, study preparation, languages tests,
internships, financial aid and assistance
with planning your studies.
Universities in Germany
Flensburg
Kiel
Heide Stralsund
Schleswig- Rostock
Holstein Greifswald
Elmshorn Lübeck
Wismar
Wedel Hamburg Mecklenburg- Neubrandenburg
Willhelmshaven Bremerhaven Hamburg
Emden
Western Pomerania
Buxtehude
Ottersberg Lüneburg
Oldenburg
Bremen
Bremen Brandenburg
Neuruppin
Hermannsburg Eberswalde
Vechta
Lower Saxony Wustermark Berlin
Berlin
Brandenburg
Hannover Potsdam
Osnabrück Frankfurt/O.
Braunschweig
Hameln Friedensau Wildau
Herford Wolfenbüttel
Bielefeld Hildesheim Magdeburg
Münster Lemgo
Detmold Wernigerode
Kleve Cottbus
Hamm Clausthal-Zellerfeld Saxony-
Gelsenkirchen Köthen Anhalt
Bochum Paderborn
Mülheim Nordhausen
Dortmund Halle
Essen Witten Göttingen
Krefeld Hagen Iserlohn Merseburg
Kassel Leipzig
Düsseldorf Wuppertal Moritzburg
North Rhine- Bad Sooden- Thuringia Saxony
Westphalia Allendorf Dresden
Hesse Weimar Zittau
Köln Siegen Mittweida Freiberg
Erfurt
AachenBrühl Dietzhölztal Jena Gera Chemnitz
Alfter St. Augustin Marburg
Bonn Gießen Schmalkalden
Ilmenau Zwickau
Bad Honnef Hachenburg Fulda
Vallendar
Koblenz Idstein
Bad Homburg
Rhineland Oberursel Frankfurt a. M.
Palatinate Coburg Hof
Wiesbaden Offenbach
Bernkastel-Kues Geisenheim Aschaffenburg
Bingen Darmstadt Bayreuth
Trier Mainz Würzburg Bamberg
Pfungstadt
Worms
Ludwigshafen Erlangen
Kaiserslautern Mannheim
Heidelberg Fürth Amberg
Saarland Speyer Ansbach Nürnberg
Saarbrücken
Heilbronn Neuendettelsau
Karlsruhe
Pforzheim Eichstätt Regensburg
Ludwigsburg
Aalen
Bad Liebenzell Stuttgart Ingolstadt Deggendorf
EsslingenSchwäbisch Gmünd
Offenburg Tübingen Nürtingen Passau
Rottenburg Reutlingen Bavaria Landshut
Ulm Neu-Ulm
Riedlingen Freising
Trossingen Augsburg
Furtwangen Biberach Ismaning
Sigmaringen München
Freiburg Baden- Neubiberg
Weingarten
Württemberg Rosenheim
Weilheim Isny Kempten
Konstanz Friedrichshafen
Admission requirements 19
1.2
Admission requirements
In this section we outline the requirements you must fulfil

before you can be admitted to a German university. In particular,
these requirements concern your school-leaving certificate,
your prior knowledge of the subject you intend to study and
your language skills.
Those who wish to study at a German The database will then inform you whether
university require a Hochschulzugangs your certificate:
berechtigung or higher education entrance
qualification. Although the term is daunt- ■ is recognised as a qualification for
ing, the idea behind it is simple – it is a direct university admission,
school-leaving certificate confirming that ■ is only recognised as a qualification for
you are qualified to begin your university subject-restricted study (i. e. only for
studies. In Germany, after students graduate admission to a certain range of subjects),
from secondary school, they receive a ■ is only recognised in combination with
general university entrance qualification proof you have successfully completed
(Abitur) or qualification for a university of one or two academic years in your
applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife). home country, or
■ is not recognised as a higher education
Will they recognise my entrance qualification.
higher education entrance
qualification? Your school-leaving certificate is usually
recognised as a university entrance qualifi
How can you determine whether your cation in Germany if you come from an EU
higher education entrance qualification will country, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway or
be recognised in Germany? A good place Switzerland and your certificate is also rec
to start is the DAAD admission database at ognised as a university entrance qualification
www.daad.de/admission. Simply enter the there. This also applies to those who
country where you received your school- have received their Abitur from any of the
leaving certificate. 140 German Schools abroad.
A wonderful time!
I spent one year in a foundation course pre-
paring for my bachelor’s degree programme
– with students from all around the world
who were also new to Germany. It was super
exciting!
My language skills were actually pretty good

when I arrived in Germany. But during the
foundation course, I was able to really im-
prove my speaking ability - and acquire a lot
of subject-related knowledge. After I
completed the course, it was great for me to
see that I had reached the same level as the
native speakers in my degree programme.
Ana Cristina Arango comes from Colombia.

She is pursuing her master’s degree in Romance
literature and cultural studies at the Goethe
University Frankfurt.
The DAAD online admission database only specific requirements and whether you
provides a general overview. The database meet the prerequisites for admission.
at www.anabin.de can give you detailed
information with a more extensive list of What if my school-leaving
countries and school-leaving certificates certificate is not sufficient?
(select “Schulabschlüsse mit Hochschul-
zugang” – “Suchen”, German only). If your school-leaving certificate is not
sufficient for university admission, you
In some cases, especially gifted applicants will have to take a qualification assess-
may be admitted into artistic degree ment examination in Germany, called a
programmes without a higher education Feststellungsprüfung.
entrance qualification. Depending on the
university, candidates must either submit You can prepare for this examination in
a work portfolio or pass an aptitude test. a foundation course (Studienkolleg) in
Germany. These are special programmes
Ultimately, the university you apply to has offered at universities and universities of
the final say concerning your admission. applied sciences. They include modules
Therefore, before submitting your applica- with a focus on certain subjects.
tion, be sure to enquire at the International
Office at the university of your choice about
The examination assesses a student’s is help available – the Test for Academic
proficiency in several subjects that are Studies and/ or propaedeutic courses.
crucial to the degree programme. One
component of the qualification assessment With the Test for Academic Studies
examination is a language test. However, (TestAS), you can assess your ability to
students must have some basic German cope with the demands that German uni
language skills to even participate in a versities place on their students. The
foundation course – approximately the result could also help you narrow down
B1 level based on the Common European your choices for a degree programme.
Framework of Reference for Languages After taking the test, you will be able to
(see infobox on p. 23). In the examination, more realistically assess the likelihood
you must demonstrate that you possess of completing a degree programme at a
the language skills necessary for your German university. Furthermore, passing
intended course of study. the TestAS significantly increases your
chances of gaining admission to the uni
Subject-specific foundation courses usually versity of your choice. Please find out
take two semesters to complete. Students whether your university requires the
who demonstrate above-average achieve- TestAS and what advantages it has for you.
ment may be permitted to take the qualifica- The TestAS is administered several times
tion assessment examination after only a year at TestDaF testing centres around
one semester. Foundation courses provide the world and possibly in your country as
about 30 hours of instruction per week. well. For a list of testing centres and infor-
mation about TestAS examination fees,
Participation is usually free of charge at visit www.testas.de.
public universities in Germany. However,
like normal students, foundation course Propaedeutic courses are another way to
participants are also required to pay the prepare for the demands of university
semester contribution (see pp. 24–25). study. These university preparatory courses
If you wish to attend a foundation course, are offered to international applicants by
you must apply in advance. some universities. They provide students
the language and academic skills they
More information?
www.studienkollegs.de
Prerequisite: Internship
For some degree programmes –

What are the demands of primarily at universities of applied
university study? sciences – internships are a pre-
requisite for university admission.
You might fulfil the formal prerequisites for Therefore, enquire at the university
admission, but can you meet the demands of your choice whether an internship
is obligatory for admission to your
of university study in Germany? If this is
degree programme.
something you are concerned about, there
require for studying in Germany. They

often include an introduction to the Language certificate
German university system and scientific
At www.sprachnachweis.de, you can
working methods.
find out the German proficiency level
required for your degree programme
These courses are usually aimed at appli at the university of your choice. The
cants who have a recognised higher educa- website also offers a helpful over-
tion entrance qualification, but wish to view of the tests that you can take to
prepare themselves for the degree pro- prove your German language skills.
gramme. A preparatory semester can help
them complete their degree programme The language proficiency required for uni-
in a successful and timely manner. The versity admission can be certified by two
International Office at the university of different tests – the DSH Test (“Deutsche
your choice can tell you whether such pro- Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang”)
paedeutic courses are available. For a gen- and the “TestDaF” (Test Deutsch als Fremd-
eral overview, visit the DAAD database at sprache).
www.daad.de/international-programmes
(select “Prep Course” in the section You are not required to take either of
“Degree / Level”). these tests, if one of the following cases
applies to you:
! How good does my

German have to be? ■ You have received an Abitur from a
German-language school.
For most degree programmes, the language ■ You have received the “Goethe
of instruction at German universities is Zertifikat C2: Major German Language
German. Therefore, you will have to prove Certificate” or the “telc Deutsch C1 Hoch-
you have adequate knowledge of German schule” examination.
to be admitted to the university. ■ You have received the German Language
Diploma (Level II) from the German
The exception to the rule applies to students Standing Conference of Ministers of
who participate in international degree Education and Culture.
programmes (see p. 15) and special postgrad-
uate programmes. You can take the German as a Foreign
Language Test (TestDaF) in your home
Some universities do not require applicants country even before you arrive in Germany.
to prove their German language skills, if The test is administered in Germany and
they only intend to study there for one or almost 100 other countries around the
two semesters. However, this rule does world six times a year, and in the People’s
not apply everywhere. Therefore, enquire Republic of China, three times a year. Visit
about the specific admission requirement www.testdaf.de for information about test-
regarding language ability at the university ing centres, dates, application procedures
of your choice. and much more.
The DSH Test (“Deutsche Sprachprüfung für

den Hochschulzugang”) is mainly offered The Common European
by universities and foundation courses Framework of Reference for
in Germany. Enquire at the International Languages (CEFR)
Office at your university for the upcoming
testing dates. Language skill levels in Germany
correspond to the three level groups
as defined by the CEFR: Basic User
The TestDaF and DSH assess several (A), Independent User (B) and Pro-
levels of language proficiency. Those who ficient User (C). These are divided
pass all the sections of the tests at the into six subgroups which range from
intermediate level (TDN 4 for the Test- absolute beginners (A1) to almost
DaF, or the DSH-2 for the DSH) are native speakers (C2).
eligible for unrestricted admission to
university. Depending on the specific
regulations at your university, a lower
mark in one of the sections will not
necessarily disqualify you from regular
admission.
You are required to pay an examination fee

if you wish to take the DSH or TestDaF.
The cost of the fee depends on the
administering authority and the country in
which you take the test.
Of course, learning German is not only

important for gaining admission to univer-
sity. Keep in mind that your German
language skills will significantly determine
how comfortable you feel in Germany
and how easily you make German friends
(see pp. 64–66).
1.3
Financing
In this section we outline the expenses you can expect

during your study visit and the funding possibilities that
are available to you.
Your financial resources are an important cilities and administrative services. In some
aspect of your plans. Before you leave your states students are charged an administra-
home country, you must secure sufficient tive fee which can range from 50 to 75 euros
funds to finance your stay. a semester.
What expenses will I have? The semester contribution at many uni

versities also includes the cost of a public
Be prepared to pay for the following transportation ticket. This semester ticket
expenses during your stay in Germany: allows you to use all modes of public
transportation in and around your univer-
■ Semester contribution sity town for six months free of charge.
■ Basic living expenses (rent, food, Depending on the city and the range of the
clothing, books, telephone, etc.)
■ Health insurance coverage
■ Tuition fees (if applicable) Example: Semester contribution
at the Freie Universität Berlin
Semester contribution
Summer semester 2019
All university students are required to pay
Enrolment fee € 50.00
a semester contribution, the amount of
which can vary depending on the services Social contribution € 54.09
it includes. The amount can range between
130 and 390 euros. Most universities charge Student union contribution € 9.10
around 290 euros on average.
Semester ticket € 198.80
One part of the semester contribution
Total € 311.99
covers social services and fees. This helps
finance, for example, the student dining
halls, student halls of residence, athletic fa-
Financing 25
ticket, you can expect to pay between 25 and Students are eligible for numerous price
160 euros per semester for the ticket. concessions. Theatres, opera houses, cin
emas, museums and other cultural venues
! Living expenses frequently offer concession rates to stu-
dents who show their student ID at the
Compared to other European countries, ticket counter.
Germany is not overly expensive. The price
for food, accommodation, clothing, cultural
activities, etc. is slightly higher than the EU
average. The approximate cost of living is
relatively low compared to that of Switzer-
land and the Scandinavian countries. How much does it cost?
average
It is difficult to say exactly how much
money a student in Germany needs per
Supermarket:
month. The cost of living varies from
1 kg potatoes € 0.75
city to city. Generally students can live
1 kg rice € 2.70
on less money in smaller cities than in
500 g spaghetti € 0.75
large cities. Of course the amount of
1 loaf of bread (ca. 500 g) € 2.00
money you will need greatly depends
1 l of milk € 1.00
on how economically you live.
1 bottle of mineral water (1 l) € 0.60
Students in Germany require an average of 1 frozen pizza € 2.00
almost 920 euros per month to cover their
living expenses. Those who have inexpen- Café or restaurant:
sive accommodation and live modestly can 1 cup of coffee or tea € 2.80
probably get by on about 720 euros per 1 glass of cola (0.3 l) € 2.30
month. 1 glass of beer (0.3 l) € 2.70
1 glass of wine (0.2 l) € 4.50
Renting a flat comprises the largest 1 pizza / pasta dish€ 7.50
portion of one’s monthly expenditures. 1 small salad € 3.50
However, the rental prices in Germany
vary greatly. Depending on the city, students Student dining hall:
pay between 259 and 373 euros per month 1 lunch € 2.20
for accommodation. The rental prices are 100 g salad from buffet € 0.75
comparatively higher in cities like Munich,
Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg and Admission prices:
Berlin. If you are looking to live cheaply, Cinema € 8.00
it might be a good idea to take a room in Theatre € 15.00
a student hall of residence or a shared flat Art museum € 7.50
(see pp. 40–41). Swimming pool € 4.00
! Health insurance If your health insurance policy from home

is not recognised in Germany, you are
Everyone who studies in Germany must required to take out a policy in Germany.
have health insurance. When you officially Public health insurance policies cost around
enrol (see p. 52), you will be asked to show 90 euros per month. However, if you are
proof of health insurance coverage. You older than 30 or haven’t completed your de-
will also need confirmation of coverage to gree programme by your 14th semester, you
obtain a residence permit (see p. 54). are no longer eligible for the inexpensive
student rate. Some public health insurance
It is possible that your health insurance providers offer a less expensive interim
policy at home is also valid in Germany. rate for one semester (so-called “graduate
This is usually the case for public health student rate”) before raising the premium
insurance policies in EU member states, to about 180 euros per month.
as well as Bosnia, Herzegovina, Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Morocco, North Macedonia, For students who are 30 or older, it might
Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, be less costly to take out a policy with a
Tunisia and Turkey. Germany has signed private health insurance provider. The
social insurance agreements with these Deutsches Studentenwerk has made an
countries to ensure cross-border coverage. agreement with a provider for such cases.
With your European Health Insurance For more information, enquire at the Stu-
Card (EHIC), you are also insured in Ger- dentenwerk office at your university or visit
many. In some circumstances, domestic www.vela.insure (“VELA Optimal” plan).
and international health insurance policies
from private foreign providers may also be Whatever the case, be sure to clarify your
recognised in Germany. Enquire at your health insurance status before you come
health insurance provider for more infor- to Germany. In order to enrol (see p. 52),
mation before coming to Germany. If your you have to provide proof of health insur-
insurance policy from your home country ance coverage to your university. Your
is recognised (be it private or public), you health insurance provider at home and the
will have to provide a statement at en- International Office at your German univer-
rolment confirming that you are indeed sity will be happy to help you. At many
exempt from mandatory German public universities, the Studentenwerk offers
health insurance coverage. To do this, visit service packages for international students
the branch office of a German insurance which include accommodation, meal
provider before you enrol and request this vouchers and a health insurance policy
statement confirming your present coverage. (see p. 45–47).
Financing 27
Tuition fees term study. Students enrolled in certain

master’s and online degree programmes
Most students in Germany attend public are also required to pay tuition – in some
universities where tuition fees are rarely cases, up to 10,000 euros per semester or
charged for undergraduate programmes more. The cost of study at private universi-
and many master’s programmes. The only ties is relatively high as well.
exception are the public universities in the
state of Baden-Württemberg. There, inter- Tuition fees – no matter how high – say
national students from non-EU countries very little about the quality of education in
may be required to pay tuition to attend. For Germany. Tuition-free degree programmes
more information, contact the International also offer very good quality.
Office at the respective university.
More information?
In some states, universities charge fees www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/
for second degree programmes and long- Gebuehren
Students’ monthly expenses (not including tuition fees)

average Example: Rent and utilities
Rent and utilities € 323.00 average
Groceries € 168.00 Room in a student hall

of residence € 271.00
Clothing € 42.00
Room in a shared flat € 310.00
Learning materials € 20.00
Own apartment € 389.00
Car and/ or
public transportation € 94.00
Health insurance, medical

costs, medicine € 80.00
Communication
(Telephone, Internet, TV) € 31.00
Recreation, culture, sports € 61.00

Source: Deutsches Studentenwerk,
Total € 819.00 21th Social Survey
How can I prove that What kind of funding can

I can pay for my studies? I apply for?
Before you begin your studies, you will have You now have an idea of the costs you
to show how you intend to finance your can expect. But you might not have to pay
stay. You must provide what is called a for everything yourself. There are numer-
Finanzierungsnachweis or “proof of finan- ous scholarships and funding possibilities
cial resources”. In most cases, you are that can help students pay for their study
required to include this document with your visit in Germany.
visa application. At the latest, you will need
it when you apply for a residence permit
(see p. 54). At present, foreign students
! Scholarships
must prove they have about 8,640 euros International students can apply for scholar-
per year at their disposal. ships from numerous organisations, such
as the DAAD, politically-affiliated founda-
Proof of financial resources can be tions, religious institutions and businessre-
provided in various ways. As a rule, the lated organisations. You should find out
following forms are accepted: whether you are eligible for scholarships
and financial aid from organisations in
■ Your parents submit documents your home country, as well.
certifying their income and
financial assets. The DAAD offers an extensive scholarship
■ A resident in Germany provides the programme for students, academics and
Aliens’ Registration Office a guarantee researchers.
to cover your expenses. Please note: Most funding organisations –
■ A security payment is deposited into including the DAAD – do not finance entire
a blocked account. degree programmes from the first to last
■ You submit a bank guarantee. semester.
■ You receive a scholarship from a
recognised funding organisation. Funding for
European students
Be sure to enquire at the German embassy
in your country as to which form of finan- There are special exchange programmes for
cial proof is required. students from EU countries and Iceland,
Please note: International students are Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway,
only allowed to work in Germany under Serbia and Turkey.
certain conditions. A part-time job may
supplement your budget, but it almost For example, Erasmus+ promotes the ex-
certainly won’t be able to cover all your change of European students in bachelor’s,
living expenses (see pp. 68-71). master’s and doctoral programmes. Students
receive grants to study abroad for a period
of three to twelve months. The exchange is
Financing 29
arranged on the basis of bilateral university

agreements. This means that if you would Scholarship Database
like to study in Germany with Erasmus+,
With the DAAD Scholarship Data-
you enrol as a visiting student at the German
base, it’s easy to research various
university with which your home university types of scholarships online. The
cooperates. Erasmus students usually don’t database includes scholarships of-
have to pay tuition fees in the host country. fered by the DAAD and other funding
organisations, as well.
Internships are also funded during or even More information?
after one’s degree programme for a period of www.funding-guide.de
two to twelve months.
Each student may receive funding multiple

times during his/her studies. However,
the total funding period may not exceed
36 months. In certain cases, students may
apply for a low-interest loan to finance their
master’s degree programme.
You can obtain more information and advice

concerning Erasmus+, the application
process and submission deadlines at the In-
ternational Office at your university, or at the
National Agency in your home country.
More information?
eu.daad.de
ec.europa.eu/programmes/
erasmus-plus
1.4
Applying for admission
!
In this section we tell you the most important things
you should know about applying for admission to a degree
programme at a German university.
There are different ways to apply for

admission to a German university. The Numerus clausus …
form of application depends on which
subject you wish to study. … is Latin and means “limited
number”. It indicates that there are
only a limited number of spaces free
We distinguish between two categories at the university or in Germany in the
of subjects in Germany: respective course of study. In most
cases, there are more applicants than
■ Subjects with a centrally restricted spaces available which means that
admission policy (nationwide Numerus special selection criteria and condi-
tions for admission apply to appli-
clausus). These subjects are so popular
cants in these courses of study.
that there are far more applicants
than available places at the university.
At present, these subjects include
Medicine, Pharmacology, Veterinary
Medicine and Dentistry. How do I apply for a subject
■ Subjects with no or a locally restricted with a centrally restricted
admission policy (Numerus clausus admission policy?
implemented by the university).
A nationwide Numerus clausus (NC)
The following information only serves as applies to those subjects for which there
a general guideline and applies only to are more applicants in Germany than
public universities. To be on the safe side, the university system can absorb. If you
enquire about the application procedures wish to study one of these subjects,
pertaining to your degree programme at there are special conditions that pertain
the International Office at your German to your application.
university.
ove
On the m
a ny –
in Germ
it wo rks:
how
e
study-in.d
”Go on a voyage of discovery.

Study in Germany.“
Thu from Vietnam and Harshvardhan from India are studying
in Berlin and enjoying a trip in the snow-covered Harz region.
www.study-in.de
Where you submit your application choice or contact the university’s Interna-
depends on: tional Office.
■ the country you come from, and A list of over 180 uni-assist member uni-
■ whether you have a German higher versities is available at www.uni-assist.de/
education entrance qualification tools/uni-assist-hochschulen.
(see p. 19–20).
But as mentioned above, please enquire
The following applicants are required to about the application procedures at the
submit their application for admission International Office at the university of
to degree programmes with a local or your choice.
national Numerus clausus to the Foundation
for University Admission (Stiftung für What is uni-assist?
Hochschulzulassung):
The Working Service Point for Interna-
■ Applicants from EU member states, tional Student Applications, or uni-assist
e.V., is an organisation responsible for
as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland and previewing the documents submitted
Norway by international applicants. Uni-assist is
■ Applicants who have received their commissioned by member universities
secondary school-leaving certificate in to determine whether submitted certifi-
Germany or at a German School abroad cates qualify the applicant for admission
to university in Germany. Most uni-
versities also commission uni-assist to
More information? review additional documentation, such
www.hochschulstart.de as language certificates.
You can apply to several universities at
All other applicants should submit their one time via uni-assist. You only have
applications directly to the university of to submit your transcripts and language
their choice, or apply through uni-assist. certificates once. Uni-assist quickly
reviews your application materials and
informs if you have forgotten any
How do I apply for important documents. If everything ap-
other subjects? pears to be in order, uni-assist forwards
your applications electronically to the
If you wish to study a subject with no universities of your choice. For selected
universities, uni-assist will send you a
centrally restricted admission policy, you
certificate called the preliminary review
should submit your application to uni- documentation (VPD). With this docu-
assist (see info box). If the university of your ment, you may apply to the respective
choice does not work together with uni-as- university directly.
sist, then send your application directly to Important: The university (not uni-assist)
the university’s International Office or the makes the final admission decision.
Student Administration Office. For more
More information?
information about application procedures, www.uni-assist.de
visit the website of the university of your
Applying for admission 33
How much does it cost What must I submit with

to apply? my application?
You are required to provide a number You can obtain an application form from
of documents and certificates with your the university of your choice, uni-assist,
application for admission to a German the DAAD website or the Foundation for
university. In most cases, you will also University Admission (Stiftung für Hoch-
be charged a processing fee. Be prepared schulzulassung).
to pay the following charges and fees:
Additional documents are also required,
■ Fees for notarising copies and such as:
translations
■ Examination fee for the TestDaF ■ Notarised copy of your secondary
or DSH school-leaving certificate
■ Processing fee for the application ■ Notarised copies of all previous
(see below) university degree certificates
■ Passport photo
The cost of the processing fee depends ■ Photocopy of your passport
on where you apply. identification page (the page with
photo and personal info)
Through uni-assist: The evaluation of the ■ C
ertificate of language proficiency
certificates and preliminary review of the (see pp. 22–23)
application documents costs 75 euros for
the first university and 30 euros for each Please note: Copies of documents will
additional university in the same semester. only be accepted if they have been
Some universities cover the processing fees notarised and are accompanied with a
for their applicants. You can find a current notarised translation in German. The
list of these universities at German mission in your country, for
www.uni-assist.de/ example, can notarise copies and trans
kostenuebernahme.html. lations of your certificates. Some univer
sities also accept copies of documents
Directly to a university: Some universities in English or French.
charge a processing fee for reviewing
your application and supplementary Your application will only be processed if
documents. you have submitted all the necessary docu-
mentation and paid the processing fee.
Please remember that your application
will only be processed after you have paid
the fee!
Directly to the Foundation for University

Admission: No application processing fee.
Applying for admission 35
The application deadline is usually several What important dates do

months prior to the beginning of the new I have to know?
semester. Therefore, if you are unsure
whether your application is complete, Contact the International Office at your
contact the International Office well in university to find out the exact application
advance so that you can send any missing deadline for your specific degree pro-
documents in time. gramme. The university must receive your
application by that date, or otherwise it will
The admissions office will send you not be processed.
written notification regarding the outcome
of your application. If you are accepted, Also bear in mind that if you apply through
you will receive notification of admission. uni-assist, you should submit your doc-
In the letter, you will also find: uments as early as possible, i.e. no later
than eight weeks prior to the application
■ Information regarding your place of deadline.
study
■ An acceptance reply card, which you If you wish to begin your studies in the
must immediately sign and return to the winter semester:
admissions office ■ Submission period: end of May to 15th
■ Information regarding the enrolment July
(registration) period (see p. 52) ■ Notification of admission will be sent to
■ Information regarding tests or certifi- you in August/ September.
cates which you must still pass or obtain ■ Rejection letters are sent out in
(if applicable) September/ October.
■ Testing date of a German language test
or university preparatory entrance exami- If you wish to begin your studies in the
nation (if applicable) summer semester:
■ Invitation to an orientation event for new ■ Submission period: beginning of
international students (if applicable, see December to 15th January
p. 55) ■ Notification of admission will be sent
to you in February/ March.
■ Rejection letters are sent out in
March/ April.
Checklists to download
Please note that some universities have
At www.uni-assist.de/tools/
different deadlines, some programmes
checklisten you will find practical
offer enrolment in the winter semester
checklists to help you with the
application process. only, and some deadlines are even earlier
than those listed below.
1.5
Entry visas and residence permits
In this section we tell you whether you will need an

entry visa and / or residence permit.
As an international student, you may depending on the purpose and length of

require a visa depending on where you their visit:
come from and how long you wish to
stay in Germany. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel,
Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and
! Do I need a visa? the United States of America can travel to
Germany regardless of how long they
Are you a citizen of an EU member intend to stay. They are required, however,
state or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway to obtain a valid residence permit within
or Switzerland? their first three months in Germany. If
you come from Andorra, Brazil, El Salva-
All you need to enter the country is a valid dor, Honduras, Monaco or San Marino
personal ID card or passport. Once you and intend to stay longer than 90 days, you
have arrived in Germany and found may only enter the country without a visa
accommodation, you must register with as long as you do not intend to seek
your local Residents’ Registration Office employment in Germany.
where you can obtain confirmation of
your right of residence (see p. 53). Nationals from the following countries
may travel to Germany without a visa
Are you a citizen from a country other if their stay will not exceed 90 days and
than those named above? if they don’t intend to seek employment
in Germany: Antigua and Barbuda, Argen-
You may need a visa depending on how tina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brunei Darus-
long you intend to stay in Germany. salem, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Gua-
Generally all foreigners must apply for a ta-mala, Kiribati, Malaysia, Marshall
visa at the responsible German diplomatic Islands,
mission in their home country before Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Nica-ra-
travelling to Germany. However, there gua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
are exceptions for certain nationals Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon
Entry visas and residence permits 37
Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, What kind of visa do I need?
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab The type of visa you need depends on
Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City – among other things – whether you
and Venezuela. have already received your notification of
admission from a German university.
The same applies to nationals from Albania,
Bosnia, Georgia, Herzegovina, Mace- Important: Do not enter the country as a
donia, Moldova, Montenegro and the tourist (with a so-called “Schengen visa”)!
Ukraine who hold a biometric passport. For A tourist visa cannot be converted to a
nationals from Hong Kong, Macau, Serbia student or applicant visa.
and Taiwan, these rules apply for holders
of passports with special features. These Applicant visa
provisions were valid as of February 2019.
For current information and an overview of If you have not yet received notification
visa requirements, visit of admission to a university or university
www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreise- preparatory course, you should apply for
undaufenthalt/-/231148. an applicant visa.
Visit the DAAD website at www.daad.de/ This three-month visa allows you to meet
deutschland/download for more details the admission requirements. If you find
on the legal regulations for entering and that three months is not long enough,
staying in Germany. you may extend your visa to a maximum
of six months. If you are admitted to the
The German Federal Foreign Office pro- university or a university preparatory
vides answers to frequently asked questions course within this period, you may apply
regarding visas and current visa require- for a student visa, or a residence permit
ments for every country in the world at for purposes of study.
www.diplo.de/visa.
Student visa
If you would like more information or
have questions regarding visa applications, Even if you haven’t yet received your noti-
contact the German embassy or consulate fication of admission to university or to a
in your home country. You can find the university preparatory course, you should
addresses of the German missions around apply for a student visa. Student visas are
the world at www.auswaertiges-amt.de. usually issued for a duration of three
months. Within this period, you must apply
for a residence permit at your local Aliens’
Registration Office (see p. 54).
What documents do I need

to apply for a visa? Medical examination
If you apply for a visa, you may be
We recommend contacting the German asked to present a health certificate.
mission in your country for a complete You can obtain information regard-
list of documents required for a visa ing this requirement at the German
application. Normally these include: mission in your home country.
■ C
ertificate confirming health insurance
coverage (see p. 26)
■ P
roof of financial resources (see p. 28)
■ C
ertificates of past academic work and
achievements
■ C
ertificate of German language pro-
ficiency or proof that you intend on
participating in a language course in
Germany
■ For a student visa: notification of
admission from your German university.
■ For an applicant visa: a higher
education entrance qualification
recognised in Germany
39
1.6
Looking for accommodation
!
In this section we tell you how to start looking for
accommodation in Germany before you leave home.
Students in Germany either live in a stu- In some university towns, obtaining a

dent hall of residence or in private accom- room in a student hall of residence is not
modation. In contrast to other countries, easy. But your chances are much better if
German universities do not automatically you apply early enough. We recommend
allocate rooms to students when they enrol applying as soon as you receive your noti
(see p. 52). fication of admission from the German
university of your choice.
Students are usually responsible for finding
their own accommodation. Depending on The DAAD Student Residence Finder
where you live and what your financial database at www.daad.de/wohnen is
situation is like, this may not be an easy quite useful for finding information about
task. Therefore, start looking for a place to various student residences in 145 university
stay very early – ideally before you arrive towns in Germany. With just a few clicks,
in Germany. you can even submit an application to the
Studentenwerk for a room in a student
The International Office at the university residence.
of your choice can provide useful informa-
tion for finding private and shared flats. Although the Studentenwerk is usually
responsible for allocating rooms at student
How do I get a room in a halls of residence, the International Office
student hall of residence? at some universities also offers this
service. Therefore, enquire first at your
There are several student halls of residence International Office about how to go about
in many university towns. A room in a hall applying for a room in a hall of residence.
of residence is probably the cheapest
accommodation you will find (see p. 27).
Looking for accommodation 41
What kind of private Where can I spend the

accommodation is available? first nights?
There is a wide variety of private accommo- You don’t have a place to stay when you
dation in every city. You will find offers arrive in Germany? Before you leave, you
for empty rooms and fully furnished should decide where you plan to spend
apartments. the first few nights. There are a number
of possibilities which the International
Therefore, you could look for a flat or Office at your university can tell you
room to let. Rooms in shared flats are more about.
often available, as well.
In some cities, the Studentenwerk and
A shared flat (WG) is one in which several university community offer new students
people live. Each flatmate has a room of affordable places to stay for the first days.
his / her own and shares the kitchen, Of course, you always have the option of
bathroom and sometimes the living room, staying at a private Pension (a small hotel),
as well. The cost of rent, telephone and a youth hotel or a youth hostel. If you wish
internet is divided between all the flat- to take a room at a youth hostel, you must
mates. This form of accommodation is be a member of the International Youth
very popular among students. Hostel Federation. You can apply for
membership directly at the youth hostel
In most cases, tenancy contracts must be for a small fee.
signed in person on location. This means
that you will have to wait until you arrive More information?
in Germany before you can finally secure www.daad.de/wohnen
private accommodation. But you can www.jugendherberge.de
already prepare for your search by looking www.hostelbookers.com
into possibilities via the internet right
before you leave, and perhaps arrange an
appointment to view a flat. To learn how
this works and where to find housing
advertisements, see p. 51.
1.7
Checklist
!
Checklist
8 months before arrival
1
Making the big decisions: Where, what and how long do I want to study?
I know
■ where I can find information about study visits in Germany
and have used one of the following contact options:
■ www.study-in.de and www.daad.de
■ DAAD branch office in my country
■ German instructor at my university
■ Higher education fairs in my country
■ approximately how long my study visit should be.
■ what type of degree I want to pursue.
■ what subject I want to study.
■ what type of university is right for me.
■ which universities offer my desired major.

1
Checking the requirements: Do I have everything or is there anything I still
need to do?
I know
■ that my school-leaving certificate or prior education is sufficient for admission
to a German university.
■ that my German or English language skills are sufficient for the degree
programme I wish to enrol in.
■ how I’m going to finance my studies and where I can apply for a scholarship if
necessary.

1
Preparing the application: What do I need and when?
I know
■ where I have to apply.
■ what documents are required for my application and where I can obtain them.
■ when I have to submit my application.
Checklist 43
months before arrival

6
Planning your trip: How do I get there?
I know
■ how I’m getting to Germany and when I have to book the trip.
■ whether I require an entry visa and how to obtain one.
months before arrival

3
Arranging accommodation: Where am I going to live?
I know
■ w hat kind of accommodation I’d like to have:
■ Student residence
■ Flat share
■ Rented flat of my own
■ h ow to organise finding a flat or applying for a room in a student residence
(see pp. 40–41).
■ w here I’ll be spending the first nights if I haven’t found a room yet.
1 month before arrival

The countdown begins: Do I need anything else?
I have
■ b ooked my trip.
■ m ade plans for finding accommodation and have a place to stay for the first nights.
■ d rawn up a packing list.
Final Check
These important papers and documents I need to bring along:
■ P assport, valid for as long as I wish to stay in Germany
■ V isa, if applicable (see pp. 36–38)
■ N otification of admission from the German university or the confirmation that
the application is being processed
■ P roof of financial resources (see p. 28)
■ O riginals with certified copies and certified translations (!)
of the following documents:
■ Birth certificate
■ Secondary school-leaving certificate
■ University diplomas, language certificates, if applicable
■ C onfirmation of health insurance coverage from the provider if the policy is
recognised in Germany (see p. 26)
■ V accination card, if applicable (contact the German foreign mission in your
country for information about required vaccinations)
After arrival – The first step in Germany:

■ I visit the International Office and have them explain to me
where to go and what to do.
2.
The first steps in Germany
In this chapter we tell you what

Suggested reading
you have to do during your
first few days and weeks in At www.study-in.de/blog interna-
Germany and where you can tional students report about their
experiences in Germany.
get help if you need it.
You can obtain more detailed infor-
There are several things you’ll immediately mation and helpful advice about
have to do when you arrive in Germany: studying and living in Germany in
the brochure “Destination Germany”.
■ F
ind accommodation Print copies of this and other brochu
(if you haven’t yet) res are available at DAAD offices world
■ E
nrol at the university wide (see p. 82) or electronically at
■ R
egister at the Residents’ www.daad.de/deutschland/nach-
Registration Office deutschland/publikationen/en/.
■ A
pply for a residence permit,
if necessary
■ M
ake a course timetable
There are many places that provide

support and assistance with these tasks.
Always remember, if you have questions or
problems, there are many people available
to help you.
Student advisory services 45
2.1
Student advisory services
Here we tell you who can best answer your questions

in Germany and give you a general overview of where you
can get help on campus.
First stop: The International Office The Studentenwerk
Perhaps the most important contact for The Studentenwerk is a national association
international students is the International that provides a wide range of services
Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt). Every for students at German universities. For
university has an International Office example, it allocates rooms at student halls
responsible for fostering international of residence and operates the dining halls
university relations. at the university.
When you were planning your stay in Some Studentenwerk organisations offer
Germany, you probably contacted the special service packages to international
International Office at your German univer- students. These services make it easier for
sity. The staff at the International Office foreign students to adapt to studying and
can also help you with problems you living in Germany.
encounter after you arrive in Germany.
The specific services included in these
The International Office can provide you packages vary depending on the university.
with all the necessary information for In most cases, they include:
your first days in Germany. It can assist
you with formalities, such as enrolling ■ R
oom in a student hall of residence
(see p. 52) and help you find a place to live. (see p. 40)
■ M
eal vouchers
The addresses of the International Offices ■ S
ocial fee and occasionally a semester
at all German universities are listed on ticket (see pp. 24–25)
www.daad.de/aaa. ■ A
ssistance with finding a health
insurance provider (see p. 26)
■ C
ultural events and excursions
At some universities the Studentenwerk Advising programmes

offers sport and language courses and
rents out bicycles, computers, crockery Many universities offer special services
and bedding. Depending on the specific to international students to get them off to
services it includes, the package can cost a good academic start. These include ori-
between 158 and 358 euros per month and entation and welcoming events, train and
is only valid for a maximum of two semes- airport pick-up services and other advising
ters. The package is not offered at all uni programmes.
versities and only a limited number is
allotted to each Studentenwerk. If you are Some universities have established special
interested, enquire at the Studentenwerk mentoring programmes (also called “Study
at your German university as early as Buddy” programmes) which pair up new
possible. international students with personal men-
tors. These are experienced students who,
The Studentenwerk also provides for example, accompany foreign students
assistance and services to students with to the registration offices, help solve every-
disabilities. day problems, answer study-related ques-
tions, etc. Mentors frequently establish
More information? contact with their foreign partners even
www.internationale-studierende.de before they’ve arrived in Germany.
Mentoring programmes are sometimes

organised by the city where the university
is located. In such cases, your mentor
wouldn’t be a student, but an average
German who is interested in meeting
and conversing with an international
student. Inquire at the International Office
whether such a programme exists in your
university town.
Many Studentenwerk organisations

employ residence hall tutors who support,
advise and look after international stu-
dents. Currently, over 600 students work
as tutors in student residence halls all over
Germany. Ask the staff at the International
Office whether such a tutor programme is
offered at your university.
I have fun ...

helping my two mentees tackle the problems of everyday life in Germany. We often write
back and forth on WhatsApp – that makes it easy to share information quickly. And it’s
much more relaxed than the official advising centres. I’m happy that I can help them get
well-adjusted here and feel at home!
Julio del Rio comes from Mexico. He is a master’s student in environmental engineering at the
TU Munich. He has been involved in the PASCH mentoring programme since 2018
At first I was surprised … Everything is easier …

that a student from Mexico was my mentor. when you’ve got a mentor like Julio! He
But soon I realized what an advantage it helped me take care of lots of bureaucratic
was. Julio’s experience was very much like matters – for example, opening a bank
ours when he first came to study in Germany. account. Julio is super at putting himself in
That’s why he really knows how he can help my shoes. He knows from personal experi-
us. I feel much more at ease knowing he’s ence how it feels to start all over in a foreign
there for us. country. And I’m always fascinated to learn
Yunhao Wu comes from China and is enrolled in the something about Julio’s and Wu’s home
electrical and IT engineering bachelor’s programme countries.
at TUM.
Irina Muntean comes from Romania and is enrolled
in the computer science bachelor’s programme at TUM.
Student unions International student

organisations
You can also get help and advice from the
student union. The student union is elect- Many German universities have student
ed by students to represent their interests. organisations which specialise in assisting
The student union is commonly referred international students. They support new-
to as “AStA” (General Student Committee) comers, organise parties, excursions and
or StuRa (Student Council). pub evenings at which one can quickly get
into contact with other students
Student unions are responsible for organ- (see pp. 61–63).
ising athletic, cultural and recreational
programmes at the university. They offer Departmental committees
advice on where to look for a job or accom-
modation. Sometimes they organise car- If you have any specific questions concern-
pools to other cities. Some student unions ing your subject, we recommend turning
even offer German courses to international to your departmental committee (Fach-
students and help non-German speaking schaft) for help. This committee is com-
students find a language partner prised of a group of students who are
(see p. 66). elected to represent student interests in a
certain department. At the beginning of
each semester, the departmental commit-
tee organises information events for new
students. This is where you can find out
how to plan your studies. It’s also a good
place to get to know other students. The
departmental committee can also provide
you with the initial orientation at your
new university.
Accommodation for Help
The programme “Wohnen für Hilfe”

(Accommodation for Help) exists
at more than 30 university cities in
Germany. In this programme, people
offer rooms to students rent-free in
exchange for help around the house
or in the garden. The student has to
work one hour per month for every
square metre of space in their room.
www.wohnenfuerhilfe.info
Finding accommodation 51
2.2
Finding accommodation
In this section we tell you how to go about finding a flat

and where to get help if you need it.
If you haven’t found accommodation in Where do I find ads for

Germany yet, you need to decide where to flats to rent?
stay for the first few nights. See p. 41 for
suggestions on where to find accommoda- Offers for free rooms and flats can be
tion on short notice. found in flat advertisements – and these
can be found in many different places.
What do I need to know At some universities, the Studentenwerk,
when looking for a flat? student union or International Office offer
an accommodation service for students.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, it’s best to start There you can find addresses of private
looking for accommodation in Germany landlords who have rooms to let. There is
before you leave home, particularly if you’d also a notice board at the university called
like to live in a student hall of residence a Schwarzes Brett with offers for rooms to
(see p. 40). let. You can also leave a message on the
board saying that you are currently looking
However, if you’d rather take private for a room.
accommodation – a small flat or a room
in a shared flat (see p. 41) – you should Most free apartments and rooms in flat-
start looking intensively once you’ve shares are advertised online. There are
arrived in Germany. Usually landlords or Facebook pages listing available student
flat-tenants only let rooms to people accommodation in every city. You can use
they’ve met in person. This means you these to post your own room-wanted ads.
will have to view the flat and speak with Some flat-finding websites are specialised
the landlord personally. If you like the in student accommodation. You can find
accommodation and agree to the terms, these by searching for “Studenten-WG” or
and the landlord accepts you as a tenant, “Studentenwohnung” using your browser’s
you can then sign a tenancy agreement. search engine. A flat-finding service is also
Enquire at the International Office for provided on the Hochschulkompass website:
helpful advice on finding accommodation www.hochschulkompass.de/wg-zim-
in your area. mer-gesucht-studenten-wg-gesucht.html.
2.3
Enrolment
In this section we tell you how to enrol (register)

at your university in Germany.
Before you can study at a German uni You have to bring several documents with
versity, you first have to enrol. This proce- you when you enrol. Please enquire at the
dure is called enrolment or registration International Office about which ones are
(Immatrikulation). Once you’re formally required at your university. In any case,
enrolled, you may attend courses at your the registration officials are sure to ask for
university, take examinations and finally the following two documents:
receive an academic degree. Enrolment
also allows you to access all facilities at the ■ Y
our notification of admission
university, for example, the library, sports ■ C
onfirmation of health insurance
grounds and computer rooms. coverage
You may enrol at your German university Once you’ve enrolled, you will immediately
as soon as you receive your notification of receive written confirmation. This
admission (see p. 35) from the International confirmation serves as your student
Office or the Foundation for University identification until you receive your official
Admission. The notification also includes student ID by post. You will require this
information concerning the enrolment confirmation of enrolment, for example,
period. Please note that the enrolment when you apply for a residence permit at
period can be rather short and you have the Aliens’ Registration Office (see p. 54).
to show up at your university’s Registrar’s
Office in person in order to enrol.
Registering with the authorities 53
2.4
Registering with the authorities
In this section we tell you which registration offices you have

to visit after you’ve found accommodation and enrolled at your
university.
So, you’ve found a room or flat? Now you You may also be asked to provide confir-
will have to take care of some formalities. mation of enrolment or a copy of your
But don’t worry – you can count on the passport. Before you go, we recommend
International Office for help. enquiring at your International Office
about exactly which documents you should
What do I have to do at the bring along.
Residents’ Registration Office?
After you have filled out a registration
Once you have found accommodation, form, you will receive confirmation of
you have to inform the Residents’ Registra- registration. Make sure to take good care
tion Office (Einwohnermeldeamt) of of this document as you may need it later
your place of residence. In some cities, this to verify your place of residence.
office is called the Bürgeramt or Bürger
zentrum. In larger cities, it is usually Please note: Anyone who lives in Germany
located in the district office or Bürgerbüro and moves to a new location is required to
responsible for the city quarter in which inform the Residents’ Registration Office
you live. Ask the International Office for of their new place of residence within one
the address. week after moving in.
You will need the following documents

to register:
■ Y our passport, visa or official ID card

■ c onfirmation of residence from your
landlord (you can find the form online
by searching for the word “Wohnungs-
geberbestätigung”)
How do I get a You have to apply for a residence permit at

residence permit? the Aliens’ Registration Office. The process-
ing fee for first-time residence permits and
The formalities involved with obtaining future extensions can cost up to 100 euros.
a residence permit depend on which To obtain your permit, you must show up
country you come from. in person at the Aliens’ Registration Office
with the following documents:
Are you a citizen of an EU member
state, or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway ■ C
onfirmation of registration from
or Switzerland? the Residents’ Registration Office
(see p. 53)
You will receive a certificate confirming ■ C
onfirmation of health insurance
your right of residence when you register coverage (see p. 26)
at the Residents’ Registration Office. ■ C
onfirmation of enrolment from your
In some cases, you may be asked to show German university (see p. 52)
that you can cover your living expenses ■ P
roof of financial resources
(see p. 28) and provide proof that you have (see p. 28)
health insurance (see p. 26). ■ Y
our passport and current visa, if
you have one (see pp. 36–38)
Are you a citizen from a country ■ C
ertificate of health, if applicable
not listed above? (see p. 38)
■ M
oney (in cash) for the residence
After you have registered at the Residents’ permit fee
Registration Office, you will have to go to ■ Y
our tenancy agreement
the Aliens’ Registration Office (Ausländerbe- ■ B
iometric passport photos
hörde) in your city. The International
Office can give you the address and a list An electronic residence permit was intro-
of documents you should bring along. duced in Germany in September 2011.
Essentially, it is a chip card containing
your personal data, passport photo and
fingerprints. After four to six weeks, you
may pick up your card (in person) from
the Aliens’ Registration Office. Your initial
permit will be valid for at least one
year and a maximum of two years, and
may be extended, if necessary.
Scheduling and organisation 55
2.5
Scheduling and organisation
In this section we provide you with important information about

how to organise your studies in Germany, for example,
what kind of courses there are, how the degree programmes
are structured and how to schedule your courses.
Studying at a university is very different event is usually included along with your
from going to school – perhaps even more notification of admission.
so in Germany than in other countries.
While secondary school pupils are provid- What kind of courses
ed with a fixed timetable, university stu- are there?
dents have more freedom in planning their
studies. They can often choose between There are several kinds of courses you can
many different courses that interest them. take at German universities. Their impor-
tance depends on your degree programme
The freedom to organise your studies re- and the type of university you attend.
quires a certain amount of independence
and initiative. This doesn’t mean, however, The most important forms of instruction
that you have to make every decision your- are lectures, seminars or courses, tutorials
self. Take advantage of the advising servic- or practical sessions, revision courses and
es at your university. There are orientation colloquiums.
events for new students at the beginning
of every semester. These events are offered Lectures (Vorlesungen) are held by uni
by the student union and the departmen- versity instructors on a certain theme.
tal committees (see p. 49) and provide Although there is generally no limit to
information about the university, its how many students may attend, there
facilities and the structure of your degree is also no open discussion during the
programme. lectures.
In addition, the International Office usu

ally organises an extra orientation event
for new international students. The event
offers helpful advice concerning how to
plan your studies. An invitation to the
Discussions with the professors and other In some subjects, revision courses (Repe
students play a central role in seminars titorien) give students the opportunity to
(Seminare) and courses (Kurse). The review the course material together with a
number of participants is often restricted. university instructor in order to prepare
for an examination.
In a tutorial (Tutorium), students may
review and further investigate the content Colloquiums are events at which students
of a lecture in more detail. These sessions can share and discuss ideas with one anoth-
are taught by tutors (often upper-level er right before the final examination phase.
or graduate students). Such courses may
also be taught by lecturers, assistant Some universities have also developed
lecturers, assistant researchers, etc. online learning modules. They are intend-
These courses are often called practical ed to supplement other courses offered at
sessions (Übungen). the university. You can find internationally
oriented e-learning programmes at www.
Some degree programmes also offer daad.de/international-programmes.
working or learning groups. These groups
provide students the chance to review More and more MOOCs (Massive Open
the course material, prep each other for Online Courses) are being offered as well.
upcoming exams or collaborate on joint These online courses are free and open
projects. to everyone. You can find a listing of
MOOCs offered at German universities
at http://iversity.org, www.opencourse-
world.de und www.coursera.org.
Faculties, schools / institutes,
departments How are degree programmes
structured?
At larger universities, various disci-
plines are sometimes bundled into
The study regulations at your university
faculties or schools, such as the “Fac-
ulty of Philosophy” or the “School of
stipulate the structure of its degree pro
Medicine”. grammes. They specify the content of
the programme and what students are
Each subject is supervised by an in-
required to do to receive a degree (see pp.
stitute or department. Depending on
the university, the institute or depart- 12–13). The study regulations are posted
ment may be situated in a building on the website of your department or
of its own, or on one or more floors institute.
of the main building. This is where
you will find your instructors’ offices, Bachelor’s and master’s degree pro-
as well as a library of subject-spe- grammes are divided into modules.
cific literature. If nothing else, your
Modules are academic units comprised
department is an ideal place to make
academic and personal contacts. of thematically related courses – e. g.
lectures, seminars and practical sessions.
Scheduling and organisation 57
bachelor’s degree. 60 to 120 credit points

ECTS credit points are required for a master’s degree.
Academic achievement in bachelor’s

What kind of examinations
and master’s degree programmes is
assessed on the basis of the Europe-
are there?
an Credit Transfer and Accumulation
System (ECTS). The ECTS deter- You can collect credit points by regularly
mines the amount of work necessary attending lectures or sessions. However,
to attain an academic degree. This courses often conclude with an examina-
includes the preparation and revi- tion. There are several types of examina-
sion of the course material, attaining
tions, for example:
certificates of achievement and pre-
paring for examinations. Completed
assignments are marked and count ■ W
ritten examinations
toward the final grade. ■ P
resentations on a particular
subject
One credit point is equivalent to 25–
30 hours of work. The programmes ■ S
eminar papers on a particular subject
are usually structured in such a ■ O
ral examinations
way that students have to take 30
credits per semester to complete the How do I draw up a
programme in the prescribed time. course timetable?
(The standard duration of study is
equivalent to the minimum number
The study regulations for your degree
of semesters required to complete
a degree programme in accordance programme provide a general overview of
with the study regulations.) the material covered in your programme
and the modules you have to complete.
The ECTS makes it easier for univer-
However, it does not offer a specific course
sities in other countries to recognise
students’ academic achievement. If timetable, as each module is comprised
your university at home does not of courses of varying thematic focus from
recognise these credit points, you which you can choose.
can have your course participation
and passed examinations certified by To draw up a course timetable, you will
your professor or lecturer. need a course prospectus (Vorlesungsver-
zeichnis). It may also be helpful to consult
the annotated course programme (KVV)
Credit points are awarded for each module available on your institute’s website. The
that you successfully complete. In order KVV provides detailed descriptions of all
to finish your studies, you must obtain the the courses offered during the upcoming
total amount of credit required by your semester. Often these descriptions are sup-
programme. plemented by a list of relevant literature to
help you prepare for the course.
Depending on the study regulations, stu-
dents require 180 to 240 credit points for a
Usually you are required to register online

for the seminars and lectures which you
select for your module. Some subjects are
extremely popular, and as a result, the size
of the courses is restricted. Therefore, if you
would really like to attend a particular semi-
nar, be sure to register well in advance.
Have you now drawn up a timetable? Have

you registered for your courses? If so, then
you’re ready to start studying in Germany.
59
3.
Tips for a successful stay
In this final chapter we describe

three important ways of making
your stay in Germany a positive
experience – making contacts,
learning German and gaining
professional experience.
Naturally, you would like to get acclimated

and feel comfortable in Germany as quickly
as possible. Perhaps you also wish to gain
valuable, practical experience on the Ger-
man labour market during your studies. We
offer you several tips for achieving just that.
Making contacts 61
3.1
Making contacts
In this section we tell you where you can meet people

and make friends and contacts during your studies.
Academic success is certainly not the only Participate in the orientation

factor that determines how comfortable events for new students. These events
you are in Germany. The quality of life is are usually organised by the student
largely influenced by the personal contacts union, your institute or department, or the
you make. International Office. Orientation events are
ideal for meeting students who – like you
University life is different in every city – are yet unacquainted with the university.
– perhaps because every university is dif-
ferent. Some universities are rather small Attend pub evenings, join university
and familiar. Others are vast institutions of societies and sports courses, go to
learning and research where it’s not always parties. In Germany, social life often takes
easy to get to know other students. place in cafés, pubs and restaurants, and
as a result, students like getting together
Therefore, we’ve listed a few ideas below at their favourite pub. Some institutes and
to help you make contacts easier. Of university organisations arrange so-called
course, you will surely discover other ways Stammtische or pub evenings. At a Stam-
to make friends and establish contacts mtisch you can get to know your fellow
yourself. students better and perhaps make plans to
do something later on.
There are societies at every university

where students get together who have
common interests and hobbies. You are
sure to find a wide variety of student clubs,
political groups, university choirs, orches-
tras, theatre groups and much more. Such
societies are an ideal place to make con-
tacts. Enquire at your student union or the
Central Student Counselling Office about
the student societies at your university.
Feeling at home …
and making new friends – that’s what we
at AEGEE help international students do –
and that as soon as they arrive in Dresden.
With our Buddy Programme, we provide
individual support to get them started at
the new university.
Every semester we organise a wide range
of excursions and events that make it very
easy for students from all over Europe to
get in contact. Our most popular events are
the hikes through Saxon Switzerland and
our karaoke nights. It’s all about having
fun together and quickly becoming part of a
large group of friends!
Zoé Le Guillou studies political and communication

studies at the TU Dresden and is responsible for
external affairs at AEGEE Dresden.
There are religious student congrega- ■ A

EGEE – Association des Etats
tions in most university towns in Ger- Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe /
many. These groups not only gather for European Students’ Forum:
worship, but also organise excursions, A European student association of
parties, discussions and many other events all faculties (www.aegee.org)
for their members. For a list of addresses, ■ A
IESEC: The world’s largest student
visit your university website. organisation in the field of economics
and business administration
There are also a number of international (www.aiesec.de)
student organisations in Germany. These ■ E
LSA – European Law Students’
organisations hold events that are ideal for Association: A student organisation
meeting people and sharing information. for prospective lawyers
These include: (www.elsa-germany.org)
Making contacts 63
Every university offers a wide range of

sports groups in practically every discipline
imaginable. Most groups are free to
join and provide many opportunities to
meet other students. You can obtain the
current list of sports groups from your
university’s website.
And finally, you can make new acquaint

ances at university parties that are held
every semester.
Use social media. Of course, you can make

virtual contact with people first – for exam-
ple, via the Facebook page operated by your
German university or department. And if
you log onto www.facebook.com/Study.
in.Germany, you can connect with almost
570,000 people from around the world who
are currently studying or are planning to
study in Germany.
Dare to take the first step. Don’t

wait for others to approach you. Seize the
initiative and talk to other students. And
take advantage of every opportunity that
comes your way.
3.2
Learning German
In this section we tell you how much German you need

to successfully study and live in Germany and how you can
improve your German.
Studying at a German university usually to submit certificates confirming your

requires some knowledge of German. German proficiency (see pp. 22–23).
However, just how much depends largely Of course, this shouldn’t be the only
on your degree programme. reason to learn German. Even after you’ve
passed a language examination or
How much German do I need? achieved the necessary test results, you
should continue working to improve
If you are enrolled in an English-language your German.
degree programme, you generally require
no knowledge of German. On the other Language skills are not only necessary for
hand, you must have a good level of profi- your studies. Knowing German is important
ciency in English. for life outside the university. It will
help you master daily life, participate more
For degree programmes taught in German, intensively in German society and signifi-
you will need better proficiency in German cantly improve your chances of making
for the social sciences than in the natural contact with others.
sciences – particularly in terms of writing
and speaking.
Your language ability must be sufficient

to understand lectures and participate in
discussions in seminars. You will also DUO online language course
have to understand scientific texts. You
should be able to adequately discuss scien- The DUO online language course
tific topics orally, and analyse and argue prepares students at all language levels
positions in written form. for university study in Germany.
More information?
When you apply to a degree programme www.deutsch-uni.com
at a German university, you will have
Learning German 65
The fastest way ...

I learn German is when I discuss things
with other students or talk with people at
parties. Only if you really use the language,
listening and expressing yourself, can you
make progress. And that, in turn, helps you
make friends.
I think being curious about German culture
has helped me very much to learn the
language. When I tell my friends something
about my cultural background in German,
I suddenly notice connections that I hadn’t
been aware of before. Of course, in some
subjects, German skills are not as important
as they are, for instance, in Philosophy or
German Studies. But if you speak German
well, you simply have more possibilities.
Plato Tse comes from Hong Kong and earned his

doctorate in philosophy at LMU Munich in 2018.
How can I improve my German? offers self-study German courses, along with
practical information about life in Germa-
Ideally you should learn as much German ny. Another way to learn more German in
as possible before you come to Germany. your home country is to participate in a
German courses are offered, for example, language tandem (see p. 66) via Skype or
at the many Goethe Institutes around e-mail.
the world (www.goethe.de).
If you wish to improve your language skills
In addition to classroom lessons, you can in Germany or have to increase your
participate in online language courses at proficiency in order to be admitted into a
the Goethe-Institute at the A1 to B2 levels. degree programme, there is a wide range
Free online courses are offered by Deutsche of opportunities available.
Welle at www.dw.com (“Deutsch lernen”)
and the German Adult Education Associ- German universities offer language
ation at www.iwdl.de (“Ich will Deutsch c ourses during the semester, for which
lernen”). And the website www.deutsch.info students often have to pay an extra course
fee. Some universities host intensive Language (FaDaF): www.fadaf.de/de/

summer courses which offer German daf_angebote/sprachkursangebote.
language instruction to international
students at varying levels. These courses The traditional (and often expensive) lan-
generally take place between June and guage courses are not the only way to
September. learn German. Have you ever considered
finding a language partner? In a language
More information? partnership, two people get together and
www.summerschools.de teach each other their native language. They
meet on a regular basis and practice speak-
There are many other institutions which ing in one language and then the other.
offer German courses as well. These
include the Goethe-Institut in Germany International Offices and international
(www.goethe.de) and adult education student organisations often have lists or
centres (www.volkshochschule.de), as websites which help students find suitable
well as many other, mainly privately funded tandem partners. You can also post a
language schools. Fees are charged for these message on one of the many notice boards
courses, however. on campus, saying that you’d like to find
a language partner.
A good place to start looking for courses
and schools is the database offered by You might also find a tandem partner
the Association for German as a Foreign online – for example, on your university’s
Facebook page.
Test: How good is my
German?
The levels for language courses in
Germany are based on the Common
European Framework of Reference
for Languages (see infobox on p. 23).
If you are interested in assessing
your knowledge of German, then
you can test yourself. To take a free
test, visit the Goethe-Institut website
www.goethe.de/einstufungstest.
If you would like to have your lan-
guage level assessed more precisely
and also require a certificate, you can
take the online language placement
test onSET for a fee (www.onset.de).
The test can also tell you whether
your level is sufficient for the TestDaF.
67
3.3
Gaining work experience
!
In this section we tell you how to gain experience
on the German labour market through part-time work and
internships – and what you have to be aware of.
Perhaps you wish to take advantage of your Waiting tables at cafés or pubs is traditional-
time studying in Germany to gain some ly popular among students, as well.
work experience in the German labour Other students find work at copy shops,
market. Part-time jobs and internships assist visitors at trade fairs, drive delivery
offer a perfect opportunity to do this. trucks, cycle couriers, housekeepers,
Above all, working is a good way to make babysitters, etc.
professional contacts.
If you are looking for a job, check the
And, of course, a part-time job can help notices and help-wanted ads on the
you earn some extra money. Keep in mind, Schwarzes Brett at your university, in
however, there is no guarantee you will libraries, supermarkets, etc. Many uni
find a part-time job in Germany, and if versities offer a job-finding service for
you do, you probably won’t earn enough to students. Contact your Studentenwerk
cover all your living expenses. German la- or the local employment agency for
bour laws restrict how many hours foreign more information.
students are allowed to work.
And naturally there are numerous job
What kind of part-time jobs exchanges online. Some are specialised in
are available to students? student jobs. To find these, enter the word
“Studentenjob” + your city into your search
Working at an institute, library or other engine. On Facebook you will occasionally
facility at your university would be an find job offers in the local groups, where
ideal way to enhance your university expe- you can also announce that you’re looking
rience, for instance, as a student assistant for a job.
or research associate. You can find such
job openings posted on your university’s More information?
or department’s website. www.daad.de/job
Gaining work experience 69
How much am I allowed If you have a student job on campus or

to work? work as a research assistant, it’s usually
no problem to exceed the 120-day limit.
There are labour laws that precisely stipu- However, you must notify the Aliens’
late how many hours students are allowed Registration Office if you do.
to work. The regulations vary according
to where the students come from. Please note: The labour laws pertaining to
international students are very restrictive,
Are you a citizen of the EU, Iceland, and if you break them, you risk being
Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland expelled from the country.
(Group 1)?
Self-employment and freelance work is
You may work as much as you’d like generally not permitted.
without any additional permit. However,
like German students, you should not If you are attending a language course
work more than 20 hours a week during or foundation course, you are normally not
the lecture period. For only then are permitted to work at all in your first year of
students (and their employers) exempted residence (except during holidays).
from paying the additional social security
contributions (health, nursing care, and Internships are regarded as regular
unemployment insurance). employment. This applies even when the
internship is unpaid. Every day of your
Are you a citizen from a country internship is subtracted from your 120-day
not listed above (Group 2)? employment credit. And if you have
already worked the full 120 days and wish
You are only allowed to work up to 120 full to take an internship, you will have to
days or 240 half days in a year. Those who apply for an additional work permit from
wish to work more require a work permit the Aliens’ Registration Office and the
from the Federal Employment Agency and Federal Employment Agency.
the Aliens’ Registration Office. Whether
you are issued a work permit depends on
the job market in your city. You are less like-
ly to receive a permit in regions with higher
unemployment rates.
I still benefit ...

from the professional experience I gained
during my studies in Göttingen. In the
second year of my master’s programme, I
completed a traineeship at the Literarisches
Zentrum in Göttingen. I had to be very
disciplined to work part-time during my
studies. But I learned so much from this
work in literary management. I’m pretty
sure I wouldn’t have gotten my present
job without this valuable experience. The
contacts I made during the traineeship are
still very important for me – and not only
professionally. The friendships I made there
still mean very much to me.
Annie Rutherford comes from Scotland. She

completed her master’s degree programme in Gen-
eral and Comparative Literature at the University
of Göttingen. Today she works as the programme
coordinator of Scotland’s international poetry
festival “StAnza”.
There is, however, an exception to this More information?

rule. An internship is not regarded as www.daad.de/deutschland/download
regular employment if it is required by Information leaflet on employment in Germany for
your degree programme (mandatory foreign students
internship). No permission is necessary
for mandatory internships and they are not You can find the address of the branch
subtracted from your 120-day employment office of the Federal Employment Agency
credit. in your university town at:
www.arbeitsagentur.de.
Gaining work experience 71
What are the benefits of How much money can I earn?

an internship?
As of the beginning of January 2019, all
Many students take advantage of intern- employees in Germany are guaranteed a
ships to gain practical, professional experi- minimum hourly wage of 9.19 euros. The
ence during their education. Becoming law stipulates that even students must
acquainted with working life helps many earn at least this amount when working
people make decisions concerning their part-time jobs.
own professional orientation. Some
students use their work experience to con- When it comes to internships, the
centrate on certain areas of interest in their minimum wage does not always apply. For
studies. Internships also allow students to mandatory internships, employers are not
make contacts outside of the university obliged to pay the minimum wage. And
environment. for voluntary internships, students only
qualify for the minimum wage if their
Internships are mandatory in many degree internship lasts longer than three months.
programmes and are supervised by univer- Otherwise, such internships are generally
sity instructors. In some cases, students unpaid or negligibly compensated.
must complete an internship before they
can enter a degree programme (see info-
box on p. 21).
You can complete an internship at a com-

pany or organisation. Internships usually
last a few weeks to several months.
If you wish to complete an internship

while studying in Germany, you can con-
tact the following offices or organisations:
■ T he internship office at your university

■ I nternational Office
■ A n international student organisation,
such as AIESEC (www.aiesec.de),
ELSA (www.elsa-germany.org) and
IAESTE (www.iaeste.de)
More information?
www.daad.de/internship
3.4
Career opportunities
after graduation
In this section we help you assess your chances of living

and working in Germany after you finish your studies – and what
laws and regulations apply.
Perhaps you like Germany so much that your costs of living and that you are seri
you’re thinking about staying here after ous about seeking employment which
graduation. And you might be wondering corresponds to your level of academic
how to enter the German labour market qualification. While looking for a perma-
and apply the knowledge and qualifica- nent position, you are allowed to work
tions you’ve gained during your studies. part-time for as many hours per week as
you wish.
If this is your wish, you are certainly not
alone. Around 44 percent of international
graduates decide to stay (at least tempo-
rarily) in Germany after completing their EU Blue Card
studies.
The EU Blue Card is intended for
What laws and regulations citizens of non-EU countries. The
card grants highly-qualified individ-
apply to foreign workers? uals permission to live and work in
Germany.
Special regulations apply to foreign gradu-
To be eligible for a Blue Card, one
ates of German universities. Generally
must hold a (German or recognised
speaking, if you have a German university foreign) university degree and an
degree and fulfil certain requirements, employment contract or binding
you will find it easier to obtain a residence job offer that pays an annual gross
permit with the right to engage in gainful income of at least 53,600 euros. For
employment. some professions (e.g. scientists,
mathematicians, engineers, doctors
and IT specialists) an annual gross
After concluding your studies in Germany,
income of 41,808 euros is sufficient.
you can apply for a residence permit valid
for up to 18 months for the purpose of
seeking employment. To be eligible, you More information?
have to demonstrate that you can cover www.bluecard-eu.de
Career opportunities after graduation 73
The best springboard … and lucrative job offers from well-known

companies. In the end, I decided on a work
for my career was getting a degree in placement contract at Allianz, which is
Germany. Diving into a completely new where I work now.
environment and a different culture meant
leaving my comfort zone. That’s how I In my experience, if you show commitment,
could continue growing. your chances of having a successful career
in Germany are very good. Studying here
During my studies, I worked in interna- was one of the best decisions of my life!
tional teams on practical projects. The
MBA programme optimally prepared
me for the challenges of the international Saud Bin Nauman comes from Pakistan. He
labour market. That’s why it was easy completed the MBA programme in “Financial
Management” at Coburg University of Applied
for me to launch my career. Even before Sciences and now works as an accounting expert
I graduated, I was receiving interesting at Allianz SE in Munich.
If you succeed in finding a job within this the second case, a graduate who studied
time, you are allowed to stay in Germany. Art History is overqualified to take a job
You can have your residence permit con- waiting tables at a museum café.
verted to one for the purpose of engaging
in gainful employment. If specific conditions are met, you may
apply for a permanent residence permit
There is one stipulation, however – your (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after only two
new position must correspond to your uni- years of qualified employment. After eight
versity degree. In other words, you have to years you are eligible for German citi-
find a job that has something to do with zenship if you fulfil certain requirements
what you’ve actually studied. Furthermore, (for example, knowledge of German). In al-
you may not be overqualified for the posi- most all German states, the time you spent
tion. For example, in the first case, a grad- studying in Germany also counts toward
uate who studied Medicine is not suited the eight-year residence period.
for a job as a computer programmer. In
Career opportunities after graduation 75
Where do I have good chances

of finding a job? The online portal
for international specialists
Despite that regulations have been simpli-
www.make-it-in-germany.com
fied for foreign graduates, it is not always
provides information and consultation
easy to find the right job. But there is good to international professionals who
news for all job-seeking university grad- wish to live and work in Germany. Not
uates: German corporations are looking for only does the website offer extensive
highly qualified candidates. information for job hunters, but also a
job exchange.
According to a recent survey by the Co-
logne Institute for Economic Research,
Germany especially lacks academics in
so-called STEM disciplines, i. e. Science, How good does my German
Technology, Engineering, and Mathe have to be?
matics. Doctors are also in high demand.
So depending on the branch, university The important thing to keep in mind is
graduates have a very good chance of find- that your chances of finding a job in
ing a job in Germany! Germany are significantly higher if you
can speak German well. Perhaps you
As you look for employment, there is some- studied at a German university but didn’t
thing important you should know about the need much German – for example, if you
German economy: small and medium-sized were in an English-language master’s
businesses (companies with less than 500 degree programme.
employees) play a vital role in the country
and are regarded as Germany’s job motor. On the German market, however, most
companies insist on very good German
In 2016, small- and medium-sized enter- skills. Perhaps the only exceptions are
prises (SME) accounted for 99.5 percent positions offered at research institutes and
of Germany’s companies. A total of almost large, international corporations. Excellent
60 percent of all jobs in Germany are English skills can make up for some of
provided by around 3.5 million SMEs. the deficits in German language ability.
Therefore, in addition to considering large,
internationally active companies, you can Take advantage of every opportunity to
significantly increase your chances of find- learn more German and improve your
ing work if you also consider positions in language skills – during your studies and
such small- to mid-sized enterprises. afterwards (see pp. 64–66).
Good luck!
Studying in Germany is not only an

exciting challenge, but also an important
step on your career path.
Many international students complete

their studies in Germany every year. Just
in 2016, more than 49,112 international
students earned a university degree. With
a bachelor’s or master’s degree in their
pocket, they have the best chances for
launching an international career.
For many students, Germany becomes a

home away from home. And most of them
maintain a close relationship to Germany
for the rest of their lives. And with any
luck, you might become one of them!
We wish you all the best!
Further reading
We encourage you to visit

www.daad.de/deutschland/nach-
deutschland/publikationen/en/
where you can find numerous DAAD
publications with extensive informa
tion for international students.
A Practical Guide for International Students 77
Appendix
Facts and figures – International

students in Germany
Students at German universities (2017)
German students 2,448,115
International students 358,895
German-educated * 93,411
foreign-educated * 265,484
TotaI students 2,807,010
Origin of foreign-educated students * (2017)

Total number of Bildungsausländer at German higher education institutions 265.484
(Including 257 students who could not be classified by region)
Western Europe
53.303 | 20,1% Eastern Europe and Central Asia
26.397 | 9,9%
Central and South-Eastern

North America Europe
6.853 | 2,6% 34.092 | 12,8%
North Africa Asia and Pacific

and Middle East 77.248 | 29,1%
38.013 | 14,3%
Sub-Saharan Africa
Latin America 14.298 | 5,4%
15.023 | 5,7%
Facts and figures 79
The Top 15 countries of origin (2017)

Number Number
China 34,997 Cameroon 7,425
India 15,308 Ukraine 7,000
Russia 11,295 Poland 5,339
Austria 10,575 Iran 7,123
France 7,335 Spain 6,220
Italy 8,550 South Korea 5,575
Turkey 6,953 USA 5,839
Bulgaria 6,823
The 6 most popular subject groups studied by foreign-educated

students (2017)
Art, Art Studies 5.4 %
Medicine, 5.4 %
Health Sciences
37.0 % Engineering
Language and 12.4 %
Humanities Studies
Mathematics, 10.5 %
Natural Sciences
26.0 % L
aw, Economics,
Social Sciences
* International students are comprised of The figures above were taken from the
German-educated (Bildungsinländer) DAAD publication “Wissenschaft weltof-
and foreign-educated (Bildungsaus- fen 2018”. Additional sources include
länder) students. official university statistics and the
Social Survey by the Deutsches Studen-
German-educated students have received
tenwerk.
their higher education entrance qualifica-
tion in Germany or in a German School
abroad, foreign-educated students at a
foreign school.
About the DAAD
“Change by exchange” is the motto and Today, the German Academic Exchange
primary goal of the DAAD. Since 1925, the Service is the world’s largest funding
DAAD has helped young academics gain organisation of its kind. It is strongly
international experience around the world. devoted to internationalising the German
Awarding scholarships is just one of the research and educational sector. Thanks
many facets of its diverse programme. The to its efforts, Germany has become more
DAAD promotes internationalisation at tolerant and open-minded – and certainly
German universities, strengthens German more competitive in a globalised world.
Studies and the German language abroad In 2017, a total of 241 member univer-
and helps developing countries establish sities and 104 student governing bodies
more efficient universities. The DAAD belonged to the DAAD.
is an important German foreign policy
partner in matters of culture, science, Budget
education and development.
The budget of the DAAD is mainly
The DAAD is comprised of a vibrant com financed through public revenues from
munity of committed individuals. In addi- various ministries, in particular, the
tion to scholarship holders and alumni, Federal Foreign Office, the Federal
who return home with experience from Ministry of Education and Research, and
Germany and cultivate contacts for years to the Federal Ministry for Economic Coop
come, the DAAD depends on academics, eration and Development. Apart from
whose expert opinions serve as the basis these, the European Union is one of the
for decisions on scholarship applications DAAD’s largest financial backers. Addi-
and project proposals. Specially appointed tional financing is provided by companies,
students and graduates from German organisations and foreign governments. In
universities incorporate their perspectives 2017, the DAAD oversaw a total budget of
into the work of the DAAD. And natural- 522 million euros, an increase of more
ly, there is the global network of DAAD than four percent from the previous year.
employees, many of whom received grants
or lectureships themselves and benefited
from the opportunity of international
experience.
About the DAAD 81
The DAAD and its goals

1. Scholarships for the Best:
Awarding scholarships to the best
In 2017 the DAAD supported just under
German and international students and
140,000 persons around the world, 50
researchers who, in a demanding
percent of whom were women. The DAAD
application process, demonstrate excep-
offers a diverse range of funding pro-
tional ability and willingness to accept
grammes. It awards study-abroad
responsibility
scholarships and PhD fellowships to
young academics and researchers, funds
internships and guest lectureships, allows 2. Structures for Internationalisation:
citizens from developing countries to Creating higher education structures in
participate in postgraduate degree pro- Germany and abroad (e. g. international
grammes, and even establishes new degree programmes, bilaterally founded
universities abroad. The DAAD also sup- universities, academic networks, etc.)
ports the internationalisation activities which promote international qualification,
of German universities through marketing mobility and dialogue which, in turn,
campaigns, publications, events and improves the quality of research and
continuing education courses. instruction
The DAAD pursues three main courses of

action to ensure that it continues achieving 3. Expertise for Academic
its goals in the future: Collaborations:
Systematising, developing and providing
expertise in educational cultures and
systems of higher learning, which the
DAAD has gained through its work
and network and which is essential for
developing internationally successful
collaborations
Addresses and related links
Bonn Head Office

Kennedyallee 50
53175 Bonn (Germany)
Postfach 200404, 53134 Bonn (Germany)
Tel. +49 (228) 882-0
Fax +49 (228) 882-444
[email protected]
www.daad.de
Berlin Office
Wissenschaftsforum am Gendarmenmarkt
Markgrafenstraße 37
10117 Berlin (Germany)
Tel. +49 (30) 20 22 08-0
Fax +49 (30) 204 12 67
DAAD Worldwide
You can find a complete list of our branch
offices and information centres around the
world at www.daad.de/netzwerk.
Addresses and related links 83
General information on studying in Germany Funding opportunities

www.study-in.de www.funding-guide.de
www.daad.de/deutschland eu.daad.de
ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus
Study opportunities
Accommodation and apartment-finding services
www.study-in.de
www.hochschulkompass.de www.daad.de/wohnen
www.studienwahl.de www.jugendherberge.de
www.universityranking.de www.hostelbookers.com
www.daad.de/international-programmes www.daad.de/wohnheimfinder
www.hochschulkompass.de/wg-zimmer-gesucht-student-
en-wg-gesucht.html
Doctoral programmes www.wohnenfuerhilfe.info
www.research-in.germany.de/phd
www.phdgermany.de
Student advice and assistance
www.gerit.org (German Research Institutions)
www.dfg.de/gk (research training groups) www.daad.de/aaa (International Offices)
www.mpg.de/de/imprs (Inter. Max Planck Res. Schools) www.internationale-studierende.de
www.daad.de/international-programmes (Deutsche Studentenwerke)
www.facebook.com/Study.in.Germany
Online programmes and MOOCs

Learning German
www.hochschulkompass.de ("distance learning")
www.daad.de/international-programmes ("study online") www.daad.de/sommerkurse
http://iversity.org www.goethe.de
www.opencourseworld.de www.deutsch-uni.com
www.coursera.org www.dw.com ("Learning German")
www.iwdl.de ("I want to learn German")
www.deutsch.info
University admission www.daad.de/sommerkurse
www.daad.de/zulassung www.volkshochschule.de
www.anabin.de www.fadaf.de/de/daf_angebote/sprachkursangebote
www.studienkollegs.de
www.testas.de
Internships
www.hochschulkompass.de/studium-interessentest.html
www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/selbsttests.php www.daad.de/praktikum
www.self-assessment.tu9.de www.iaeste.de
www.aiesec.de
www.elsa-germany.org
German language tests
www.sprachnachweis.de Working while studying and after graduation
www.testdaf.de
www.goethe.de/einstufungstest www.daad.de/arbeiten
www.onset.de www.arbeitsagentur.de
www.make-it-in-germany.com
www.bamf.de/blauekarte
Applications
www.daad.de/bewerbung Suggested reading
www.uni-assist.de
www.hochschulstart.de www.study-in.de/blog
www.daad.de/deutschland/nach-deutschland/
publikationen/de
Visas
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
www.diplo.de/visa
Index
Abitur (higher education International Office 17, 45

entrance qualification) 19 Job 68–75
Akademisches Auslandsamt Krankenversicherung
(International Office) 17, 45 (health insurance) 26
Aufenthaltserlaubnis Lebenshaltungskosten
(residence permit) 54 (living expenses) 25, 27
Bachelor’s degree 12 Lehrveranstaltung (courses) 55–58
Bewerbung (application) 30–35 Magister Artium (traditional German
Credit Point 57 university degree) 13
DSH 22-23 Master’s degree 13
Deutschkenntnisse Modul (module) 56–58
(language skills) 22–23, 64–66 MOOC 56
Diplom (traditional German Numerus clausus (NC)
university degree) 13 (restricted admission) 30–32
Erasmus+ 28–29 Online-Studium (online degree
Fachhochschulreife (higher education programme) 15, 27
entrance qualification to a university of Praktikum (internships) 21, 69–71
applied sciences) 19 Promotion/PhD (doctoral degree) 13–15
Fachschaft(svertretung) Regelstudienzeit (standard
(departmental committee) 49 duration of study) 57
Fakultät (faculty) 56 Semester 10
Feststellungsprüfung Semesterbeitrag
(assessment examination) 20–21 (semester contribution) 24–25
Förderungsmöglichkeiten Semesterticket 24–25
(scholarships) 28–29 Seminar 56
Graduiertenkolleg (graduate school) 14 Sprachkenntnisse (language skills) 22–23,
Higher education 64–66
entrance qualification 19-20 Staatsexamen (state examination) 13
Hochschulreife (higher education Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung
entrance qualification) 19 (Foundation for University
Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (higher Admission) 32
education entrance qualification) Stipendium (scholarship) 28–29
19–20
Index 85
Studentenwohnheim
(student hall of residence) 40
Studiengebühren (tuition fees) 24, 27
Studierendenvertretung
(Student unions) 49
Studium-Interessentest
(Study Interest Test) 16
Studienkolleg (foundation course) 20–21
TestAS 21
TestDaF 22–23
Tutorium (tutorial) 56
Übung (practical sessions) 56
uni-assist 32–33
Visas 36–38
Visum (visas) 36–38
Vorlesung (lecture) 55
Vorlesungsverzeichnis
(course prospectus) 57
Vorprüfungsdokumentation (preliminary
documentation) 32–33
Wohnen (Accommodation) 40–41, 51
Work 68–75
www.daad.de
www.facebook.com/Study.in.Germany

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Studying in Germany

A Practical Guide for

15 English-language degree programmes

Section Information on Studying in Germany

Project Coordination Esther Kirk, Julia Enke

Publishing House Dr. Dagmar Giersberg, Bonn

Translation Robert Brambeer, Titisee-Neustadt

Layout and Typesetting DITHO Design GmbH, Cologne

Printed by W. Kohlhammer Druckerei GmbH + Co. KG, Stuttgart

Print run July 2019 – 25,000

This brochure is also available in German.

This publication was funded by the Federal Foreign Office.

Studying in Germany? A Good Idea! 6

1.1 Degree programmes and universities 10

1.2 Admission requirements 19

1.4 Applying for admission 30

1.5 Entry visas and residence permits 36

1.6 Looking for accommodation  40

2. The first steps in Germany 44

2.1 Student advisory services 45

2.2 Finding accommodation 51

2.4 Registering with the authorities 53

2.5 Scheduling and organisation  55

3. Tips for a successful stay 60

3.1 Making contacts 61

3.2 Learning German 64

3.3 Gaining work experience  68

3.4 Career opportunities after graduation  72

Facts and figures – International students in Germany  78

About the DAAD – Goals, tasks, programmes 80

Addresses and related links 82

So, you’re interested in studying in Germany?

Studying abroad – especially in a country any additional information, feel free to

There are diverse opportunities in Germany

This chapter tells you how to

Studying abroad is like turning over a new

On the following pages you will find

Using the checklist at the end of this

About 15 months before your planned trip to Germany

About nine months before your trip

About four to five months before your studies begin

When you receive your notification of acceptance

About one month before your trip

Your trip to Germany!

The academic year in Germany

The academic year is divided into Semester schedule at most universities:

Alona Sakhnenko comes from Ukraine where she

What is the difference What kind of degree programmes

University education in Germany is You can attain the following degrees at

Master’s degree (M.A., M.Sc., Master of Doctoral degree: A doctoral programme,

There are also a number of programmes

What is the right degree Where can I get academic advice?

We also recommend visiting www.univer-

You’re the focus ...

In this section we outline the requirements you must fulfil

My language skills were actually pretty good

Ana Cristina Arango comes from Colombia.

For some degree programmes –

require for studying in Germany. They

Studying in Germany? A Good Idea! 6

1.1 Degree programmes and universities 10

1.2 Admission requirements 19

1.4 Applying for admission 30

1.5 Entry visas and residence permits 36

1.6 Looking for accommodation 40

2. The first steps in Germany 44

2.1 Student advisory services 45

2.2 Finding accommodation 51

2.4 Registering with the authorities 53

2.5 Scheduling and organisation 55

3. Tips for a successful stay 60

3.1 Making contacts 61

3.2 Learning German 64

3.3 Gaining work experience 68

3.4 Career opportunities after graduation 72

Facts and figures – International students in Germany 78

About the DAAD – Goals, tasks, programmes 80

Addresses and related links 82

What expenses will I have? The semester contribution at many uni

Rent and utilities € 323.00 average

Groceries € 168.00 Room in a student hall

Recreation, culture, sports € 61.00

5 months before arrival

2 months before arrival

months before arrival

months before arrival

1 month before arrival

After arrival – The first step in Germany:

■ Y our passport, visa or official ID card

In addition, the International Office usu

And finally, you can make new acquaint